Villagers have petitioned the Water Resource Regional Office 5 to probe a contractor accused of failing to pay them wages totalling 9 million baht under the state-sponsored water resource development scheme.
They say Sunisa Chularat Civil Engineering Co was contracted by the office in Nakhon Ratchasima to dredge waterways and ponds to boost water storage capacity.
The projects are part of a plan to conserve more water in times of drought. The company later subcontracted the work to the villagers.
However, 40 people who it hired claim they have not been paid for over five months, according to Athiphong Prahun, who represents the group. Some said they had forked out money to hire trucks and backhoes to get the job done. The project is located at Nong Chang Nam Pond in Ban Nong Kham in Phimai district.
The group protested in front of the central district office on Monday asking officials to intervene.
Mr Athiphong said they made similar complaints to police and Damrongtham complaint centres last year but to no avail. He said he has only received a full wage for one month of work.
The constructor then transferred money to him in a piecemeal but incomplete fashion, he said, based on the premise that it was busy "registering its limited partnership as a company".
The villagers have vowed to take the issue to the Civil Court. Mr Athiphong urged the Water Resource Regional Office 5 to also inspect three more projects overseen by the same contractor.
The company could not be reached for comment last night.