Land reform here to stay: Thai PM

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Land reform here to stay: Thai PM 
Bangkok Post: 13 Feb 2011

Land reform here to stay, pledges PM
ABHISIT DANGLES POLL PROMISE


The Democrat Party will press ahead with its land reform efforts if it wins this year's election, says Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

He made the promise yesterday at a ceremony to hand over the first community land title deed under his government's land reform policy, to Ban Klong Yong Cooperatives in Buddha Monthon district.

Hailing the government's policy as a success, Mr Abhisit said the distribution of community land title deeds was an effective model to deal with land disputes.

Ban Klong Yong Cooperatives has spent more than six years acquiring community land title deeds to guarantee them the right to live on their own land.

It is the first community to receive land title deeds from the government. Thirty-four communities in 12 provinces remain in the approval queue.

"This is an historic day, the first step towards land security, as well as agriculture and food security," he said.

The government has introduced community title deeds as a key policy for dealing with land disputes, especially for communities in protected forest areas and occupying public land.

Communities which obtain the land title deeds will be allowed to use the land for agricultural purposes only. The use of the land will be overseen by a community committee which will not be allowed to sell on the land.

The right to possess the land will be automatically transferred to an heir.

Mr Abhisit said complicated regulations had delayed the policy. He had told ministers involved, such as Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti, to speed up their work.

Previously, Mr Suwit said he disagreed with the distribution of land title deeds to communities in protected forest areas, as he was afraid this could encourage residents to encroach into forests.

About four million people live in such areas and most of them have no land title deeds.

"There are many things that we have to do, including establishing a land bank," said Mr Suwit.

"We will set up agricultural economic zones which can secure the country's food security. Proper land management can also reduce the gap between the rich and the poor," he said.

PM's Office Minister Satit Wongnongtoey, who is in charge of the community land title deed project, said the 34 communities awaiting land under the scheme would be given their community land title deeds in the next two months.

Mae Ou community in Lamphun province will be next.

Welcoming the policy, Rasami Duangsoithong, a lotus farmer in Ban Klong Yong, said her family would gain the permanent right to stay on the land.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/221260/land-reformhere-to-stay-pledges-pm

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Cabinet to consider land-reform issues
By Chularat Saengpassa
The Nation
2011-02-22

The Cabinet will today consider land-reform issues in response to landless farmers, who have been camping out on Bangkok streets demanding help.

Adviser to the Land Reform Network (LRN), Prayong Doklamyai, said yesterday the Cabinet was expected to approve a Bt167-million budget for buying 1,200 rai of land attached to non-performing loans from financial institutions and dividing it among 520 landless families by issuing community land-title deeds.

These families will then be able to pay for the land plots slowly.

"We also expect the Cabinet to approve the Bt52-million budget for providing low-priced housing units to people who don't own homes," Prayong added.

Pongthip Samranjit, another adviser to the LRN, said PM's Office Minister Satit Wongnongtaey had promised to take the issue to the Cabinet meeting.

Satit chairs a coordination committee in charge of issuing community land-title deeds and it has already approved the deeds to 35 communities.

"The government should instruct relevant authorities to quickly start providing plots to communities," Pongthip said.

LRN members have been rallying under the banner of the People's Movement or P Move outside Bangkok's Royal Plaza since February 16.

According to Pongthip, the promise was given after P Move told Satit that the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry had said there were no laws supporting the division of land plots to communities at this point.

"He said relevant agencies should amend their laws and regulations to support what needs to be done while waiting for the legislation of the community land-title deeds," Pongthip said.

She added that the process of considering communities eligible for the land-title deeds should also be completed faster.

"After they've submitted all necessary documents, communities waiting for the land-title deeds should be given the right to use the land plots and develop their basic infrastructure," she said.

Pongthip expects the Cabinet to issue a resolution requiring authorities to drop charges against people accused of encroaching on land meant to be handed over to communities.

"Since the Land Bank will not be established overnight, the government should set up a revolving fund to help manage the community land-title deeds first," she said.

The Land Bank, once established, will buy land plots that will later be allocated to communities eligible for community land-title deeds. The bank will get its money back from co-operatives set up by the communities. The revolving fund is expected to fulfil the role of the Land Bank before it is established.