Government ready to heed protesters' demand to delay industrial estate in Songkhla

A people's network from Songkhla province won several concessions from the government after negotiations on Monday, including delaying a proposed industrial estate. The Jana Rak Thin (Love Jana) network, which has been protesting outside Government House since December 10, on Monday held talks with Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Thammanat Prompao on  postponing the Jana Industrial Estate project in Songkhla province, along with several other issues.
Negotiations between the Jana Rak Thin Network and the government representatives led by Thammanat and Prasan Wangrattanapranee, assistant Minister of the Prime Minister's Office, went well on Monday, with the protesters agreeing to move from Government House to a nearby commercial area, after they started the protest on December 10.
Thammanat said he had briefed Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, who has acknowledged the problem and considered the appointment of a subcommittee for solving problems jointly by the government and network representatives and drawing up a memorandum of understanding. Prawit will sign the order and propose to the Cabinet the memorandum of understanding on Tuesday.
The agreement between Jana Rak Thin network and Thammanat includes postponing the Jana Industrial Estate project and complete environmental impact assessment first, cancelling the process of revising the consolidated city plan to industry area, and conducting a strategic environmental assessment.
Police are preparing to move containers placed in front of Government House after the protesters moved to a commercial area nearby.