CityNews – A group of monks and local authorities from 25 districts hosted a meeting at Wat Phan Ohn to sign an agreement to oppose the construction of the Halal Industrial estate in Chiang Mai.
The Halal Industrial Estate has already been given the go ahead by the Chiang Mai Chamber of Commerce along with a large number of organisations and corporations.
Once the plans were made, there was immediate objection by the locals in the Doi Lo district, resulting in the project being put on hold.
The Chamber of Commerce have now announced that they will build the estate in another district of Chiang Mai, igniting new opposition.
The new meeting held has collated signed documents that will be submitted to the Chiang Mai Governor, expressing the group’s standpoint against the building of a Halal Industrial Estate anywhere in Chiang Mai.
The group fears that the construction will have many negative effects on the area, including pollution, waste management and social conflict between the majority Buddhist population and the Islamic practices involved with Halal food preparation.