Crackdown on Forest Encroachment in East and Northeastern Provinces

[Admin]

Lawmakers behind land encroachment
The Nation 2011-07-14

National politicians known to residents in Nakhon Ratchasi-ma are behind a land-encroachment scheme in which 20 resorts have been built illegally on national parkland in Wang Nam Khiao district, a leader of the non-governmental organisations campaigning against the projects alleged yesterday.

Tawan Srikanil, of the Network of Those Loving Khao Yai, said the politicians had exploited state authorities in obtaining vast plots in Wang Nam Khiao through false ownership documents, and had later sold them to developers.

He said there were now 20 resorts built illegally along a 56-kilometre stretch of Wang Nam Khiao-Phang Ma-Pak Chong Road, which runs parallel to national parkland.

Documents and evidence compiled by a local forestry office were yesterday handed over to Royal Forest Department director-general Suwit Rattanamanee.

However, Suwit declined to give a specific answer to reporters' questions as to why he had acted slowly with regard to the extensive encroachment, which was known to the NGOs, local residents and the media.

"I am aware that there have been such allegations, as well as questions over why the department has only taken action now, at the start of a new government taking power. Is there any hidden agenda behind this? I say no," he said, without elaboration.

[Admin]

TOURISM

Residents up in arms over orders to raze resorts
Published: 18/07/2011 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post: Newspaper section: News  

NAKHON RATCHASIMA : The Royal Forest Department is under pressure to scrap plans to demolish resorts on protected forest land.

Residents who work in the tourism sector, and tourism operators are calling on the department to find a compromise rather than tear down the resorts as it was threatening to do, as many jobs could be lost.

About 300 Wang Nam Khieo residents and tourism operators rallied outside the district office yesterday, calling on the department to scrap its plans.

The group, led by Choon Sirichaikhirikosol, president of Nakhon Ratchasima provincial administration organisation, also demanded provincial governor Rapee Phongbuphakit issue an order prohibiting the RFD from taking any action.

Mr Choon dismissed the RFD's allegations that resort operators in Wang Nam Khieo had encroached on forest areas, as the resorts are situated on former agricultural land.

"The allegations are groundless and have damaged the reputation of the Wang Nam Khieo people," he said.

Mr Choon said tourism operators had followed environmental laws and did not destroy forest areas as alleged.

Samer Chindapong, chairman of Nakhon Ratchasima's Tourism Operators Association, said any drastic action against resort operators allegedly encroaching on protected forest land would destroy tourism in the district.

"Aggressive action will only hurt tourism, which will result in a drop in revenue in the province," Mr Samer said.

The RFD announced last week it would take legal action against the owners of at least 20 bungalows and resorts suspected of encroaching on Phu Luang forest reserve in Wang Nam Khieo district.

If an investigation finds they encroached on the land, the RFD will demolish the structures.

On Wednesday, officials will give notice at the first eight bungalows and resorts found to be located inside the protected forest area.

Mr Samer, however, warned that any hostility displayed while doing do could lead to conflict between residents and state authorities.

He said the department was partly to blame for the forest encroachment as authorities were negligent in preventing it from happening in the first place. "It is difficult to enforce the law now that the resorts have been built," he said.

"The department should not have allowed the structures from day one."

Mr Samer suggested the department should work harder on forest protection efforts to prevent new cases of encroachment by resort operators.

Krit Sumangsa, president of the Rak Khao Yai Network, agreed extreme action against resort operators would affect residents working in tourism-related businesses. He urged the department to hold talks with the public and resort operators to seek proper solutions.

Operators of resorts in the protected area might have to pay a land lease fee and adhere to forest protection regulations in return for being allowed to stay.

[Admin]

Park Officials To Ban Entry To Resorts Built On State
The Nation 2011-07-20

'No entry' signs will be posted today at 22 resorts suspected of being built illegally in the Wang Nam Khieo area of Nakhon Ratchasima, pending investigations early next month.

The action may eventually subject owners and developers of the resorts to halt operations and possibly demolish their properties, Thewin Meesap, Thap Lan National Park's chief of operations, whose jurisdiction covers the Wang Nam Khieo area, said yesterday.

Owners can challenge the 'no entry' order through lawsuits but they must be lodged in 30 days, he said, adding that the posting of signs was scheduled at 8 am.

Thewin said he and his forest rangers were braced for protests by some owners, or others who rallied recently against the Royal Forest Department's planned crackdown.

Thewin said encroachments in Wang Nam Khieo area numbered in the "hundreds" and would be dealt with after the verification of evidence and assessment of possible criminal intent.

RFD director-general Suwit Rattanamanee warned anyone planning to purchase land in Wang Nam Khieo - attracted by decreasing prices following the RFD crackdown - they could eventually face legal action for buying stolen property.

A workshop has been arranged by the RFD in Saraburi to explain to villagers and business owners about new borders between reserved areas and those where they can farm and operate businesses.

The workshop, aimed at preventing accidental or intentional encroachment, also featured details of new and old areas where farming and business operations were both permitted and prohibited. Amendments to existing directives would be made later, the provincial RFD office said.

In Phitsanulok, forest rangers and military officers raided a 100-rai area in Nakhon Thai district and seized felled logs and chainsaws along with other equipment used in illegal logging, without making arrests or finding anyone on the site.

[urleft]

Wow, sounds they missed paying off the right person. 

[Admin]

KORAT

Luxury homes built in conserved forest lands
By PONGPHON SARNSAMAK
PEERADEJ TANRUANGPORN
The Nation 2011-07-28

An inspection trip around Nakhon Ratchasima's Pak Chong district yesterday showed many luxury homes, including those belonging to senior policemen, are in conserved forest zones.

The Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), which organised the trip, is preparing to ask the Royal Forest Department to demolish all these properties.

"We will also investigate officials who are involved in the illegal encroachment," PACC secretary-general Amphon Wongsiri said. His agency has spearheaded efforts to crack down on land encroachment and illegal operation of resorts.

During a survey trip to investigate land encroachment in Saraburi and Nakhon Ratchasima, Amphon asked a land-reform official to use a GPS (Global Positioning System) device to determine the positions of encroaching plots and found that illegal luxury houses, valued at more than Bt30 million, were in conserved area zone C.

A team of PACC inspectors led by Amphon yesterday also visited a land-encroachment site at tambon Nong Yang Suea in Saraburi province's Muak Lek district.

The PACC team found that more than 70 rai (11.2 hectares) of forestland in slope areas had been encroached on by wealthy people who have close connections with senior provincial officials.

This area consisted of degraded forests and was to be distributed to poor farmers for agricultural purposes. But land-reform officials had been trying to issue Sor Por Kor titles allowing wealthy people to own this forestland.

Meanwhile, villagers and local forestry officials lodged complaints against provincial land-reform officials and asked them not to issue the Sor Por Kor documents to wealthy people who encroached on forestlands.

But the complaints were ignored by land-reform officials for two years while the forestland was being encroached on.

"We found that they [Saraburi provincial land-reform office] were trying to issue documents allowing wealthy people to utilise the forestland," Amphon said.

He added that the National Anti-Corruption Commission would conduct an investigation and propose disciplinary measures against officials of Saraburi province because of their alleged involvement in land encroachment.

Additionally, the PACC will ask the Anti-Money Laundering Office to investigate the assets and properties of wealthy people who encroached on the forest lands.

Tambon Nong Yang Suea headman Sombat Kaewwisit said the 70-rai plot belonged to a local villager and later this area was transferred to the forest office to maintain as a national asset.

But since 2009, this forestland was heavy encroached on by wealthy people to build private homes. The forestland is now surrounded by fences to mark the land ownership.

"Villagers have kept this area since they were young. No one from the village cut the trees in this forest because they could collect wild products to earn their living," he said.

"Now we are fighting to take our forest back."

The PACC will ask the new national government to take legal action against officials in Phuket and Phang Nga involved in facilitating encroachment by wealthy people in forest areas.

A former Phuket governor is accused of signing a document to allow an individual to own about 67 rai in forest areas valued at Bt4 billion.

Meanwhile, officials in Phang Nga province will also face legal action over alleged land encroachment in Koh Yao Yai.

[Admin]

Probe into resorts, plantations
The Nation 2011-07-28

Authorities are investigating how 15,000 resorts and rubber plantations appear to be located within forest reserves spanning Prachin Buri and Nakhon Ratchasima.

"We will be looking into details," Tab Lan National Park chief Tewin Meesap said yesterday.

Tewin said checks would be made to see if owners of resorts and plantations have any land-rights documents or any rights to use the land.

To date, owners of 15 resorts in Nakhon Ratchasima's Wang Nam Kheow district and Prachin Buri's Na Di district have been told to dismantle their properties by October 30.

"Otherwise, we will remove their structures ourselves," Tewin said.

If resort owners wished to appeal, they must do so within 15 days of the order being issued.

Rubber plantations have also eaten into a sizeable portion of forest reserve in the two provinces, Tewin pointed out. "The biggest plantation spans over 1,200 rai," he said.

Provincial Police Region 3 commander Lt-General Dechawat Ramsompop vowed to take both criminal and disciplinary action against any police officers using forestland.

Nakhon Ratchasima Governor Rapi Pongbuppakit said forest encroachment had dragged on for decades.

"A solution of course must be in line with the law, but thinking should be about political and scientific principles too," he said.
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Crackdown on Forest Encroachment in East and Northeastern Provinces
Tan Network 2011-07-28

The Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission and the Region 3 Police are conducting an investigation of forest encroachment in Nakhon Ratchasima and Prachinburi provinces.

Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission Secretary-General Ampon Wongsiri, following a complaint by residents, investigated a case of alleged encroachment onto forest reserve areas in Muaklek District in Saraburi Province.

He said he found that fences had been put up around the foot of the hill inside the forest reserve to pave way for a resort construction project, while a large area of forest nearby had been cleared.

The 100-rai piece of land is deep in the jungle and is the source of a local river.

What's more, a huge house, worth some 30 million baht, and owned by a high-ranking official in the province was also reported to have been found.

Meanwhile, Region 3 Police Commissioner, Police Lieutenant General Dechawat Ramsompob, said there have been 12 forest encroachment cases in Nakhon Ratchasima Province.

Police are speeding up their investigations and vow to punish any police officers found to be involved in the encroachment.

Tab Lan national park chief Tewin Meesap disclosed that a court has issued orders to demolish the buildings and remove the rubber and other plantations at 105 locations within forests reserves in Nakhon Ratchasima and Prachinburi provinces.

A local administration organization leader in Nakhon Ratchasima Province has voiced concern over the officials' actions as the policies are not clear, adding that residents did not want to relocate from disputed areas since they have been living there for 40 years, though admittedly, they do not have deeds to the land.

[Admin]

ENVIRONMENT
More resorts, homes found in forest reserves
By PONGPHON SARNSAMAK
The Nation 2011-08-03

The Royal Forest Department (RFD) has discovered another 17 resorts and private houses built on forest reserves in Nakhon Ratchasima province's Wang Nam Kheow district.

It plans to apply for search warrants to investigate the buildings and has promised immediate legal action against the encroachers.

The discovery follows an investigation by RFD officials, ordered after the recent disclosure that about 22 big houses and resorts, on sloped areas in the nearby Phu Luang National Forest, are in apparent violation of the Forest Reserve Act.

Meanwhile, meetings of local people in Wang Nam Kheow district have threatened to rally at the RFD's local office if the department does not stop "strictly enforcing the law" and failing to listen to local opinion.

The RFD said yesterday that the 17 resorts and private homes in Wang Nam Kheow district would be the subject of immediate legal action and no-entry orders because they were in forest reserved areas.

"An investigation conducted by forestry officials found these resorts and private homes illegally built on land acquired in the restricted Wang Nam Kheow forest reserve," said RFD director-general Suwit Rattanamanee. The buildings are in zone C forest reserves, in which individuals are not allowed to erect any structures unless a Cabinet regulation allows them to do so, he said.

RFD officials will meet with the Nakhon Ratchasima provincial governor and officials tomorrow in an attempt to resolve the land-encroachment problem and decide on action against 22 developers who illegally built structures in the Phu Luang Forest Reserve. The meeting will chaired by the Second Army Region commander and joined by provincial land department officials and related agencies.

The RFD will apply for search warrants on Friday to allow police and forestry officials to investigate buildings erected illegally in forest reserves, Suwit said. He admitted that his agency had faced difficulties in enforcing the law and charging wrongdoers with breaches of the law because officials do not understand his department's responsibility to take forestland back from invaders.

Some cases might take 10 years or more for the courts to reach a final verdict on whether invaders should be allowed to continue using the properties or ejected from the reserved land on which they have encroached, he said.

"We expect our mission at Wang Nam Kheow to be a model for other areas across country, in which we will strictly enforce the law and charge wrongdoers," Suwit said.

Meanwhile, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) has decided to step in to help stop demonstrations by locals. Led by village headmen in Wang Nam Kheow, people organised a protest yesterday that blocked main Highway 304 between Prachin Buri province's Kabin Buri district and Nakhon Ratchasima province.

DNP director-general Sunant Arunnoppharat said he would explain to local representatives why the DNP was moving to arrest people who had encroached on Thap Lan National Park. He said local residents would be protected by law if they lived in Wang Nam Kheow district before the areas were designated as conservation reserves by a Cabinet resolution on June 30, 1998.

The RFD also announced yesterday that it planned to ask for the return of more than 150,000 rai (24,000 hectares) of degraded forestland in Wang Nam Kheow district, after the failure of the Land Reform Department to distribute it to landless farmers.
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Locals upset over crackdown on encroachment
By PRASIT TANGPRASERT,
KASEM CHANATHINART
The Nation 2011-08-03
Nakhon Ratchasima

There have been two meetings of residents in Nakhon Ratchasima's Wang Nam Kheow district aimed at pressuring state agencies to find compromise solutions to alleged forest land encroachment and local abuse of sor por kor 4-01 land reform certificates.

Wang Nam Kheow superintendent Pol Colonel Kitti Kongsaengsri said that about 200 residents, resort operators, representatives of non-governmental organisations and academics met at the district office to find possible solutions to the problems.

They agreed that the Royal Forestry Department (RFD) and related agencies should avoid strictly enforcing the law and listen to the opinions of local people, so that together, they could find solutions, he said.

Provincial Administrative Organisation deputy president Noppadol Niamsungnoen urged the RFD to stop creating the impression that Wang Nam Kheow people had encroached on forest land to build resorts, steal the habitat of wild bulls and cause river flooding because it created misunderstanding among tourists, who then stopped visiting.

If RFD wouldn't stop it, he said, thousands of residents would rally to the department's office.

Regarding the threat of authorities revoking the rights of sor por kor 4-01 recipients who haven't used their plots according to the conditions of their certificates, he said the public sector must understand that monoculture farming didn't feed families well. Hence, many turned their properties into homestays or resorts while maintaining orchards or farms, to achieve better incomes.

The long-standing problem came from administration and unclear territorial boundaries between national parks and residents' farmlands, Noppadol said. There should be an inspection and demarcation of problematic lands with participation of all sides and joint discussions to find solutions.

Another meeting, involving about 200 affected residents from Wang Nam Kheow's Tambons Wang Mee and Thai Samakkhee, was held at district market.

[Admin]

10 more resorts ordered out
RFD targets 22 others in Wang Nam Khieo
Published: 4/08/2011 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post: Newspaper section: News
 
Ten more resorts have been ordered demolished for being illegally built on forest reserve land in Thap Lan National Park, bringing the total number of resorts to be dismantled to 25.

The resorts are in both Wang Nam Khieo district of Nakhon Ratchasima and Na Di district of Prachin Buri.

The Thap Lan National Park office yesterday posted a copy of the official order to demolish the illegal buildings at 10 more resorts located in both provinces, said Thap Lan National Park chief Thewin Meesap yesterday.

So far, only one resort owner had contacted the office to say he would remove the resort buildings by himself.

The Royal Forest Department (RFD) has also sought court approval to search 22 resorts in the Khao Pang Ma area in Wang Nam Khieo allegedly built on public land, said the provincial forest department chief Suthep Pawareswithayaran yesterday.

RFD officials yesterday accompanied an army of reporters to inspect 22 resorts and holiday houses in the Khao Pang Ma area.

Pusit Bhrommanop, the director of the RFD's forest land management division in Nakhon Ratchasima, said an investigation was under way to find whether the owners had acquired the land before Pa Khao Pu Luang was declared a forest reserve.

"If so, they will be allowed to stay until the [next] government comes up with a clear policy [about the issue]," said Mr Pusit.

He added that the survey found that 485 families had lived in the zone before the forest reserve was declared.

Maneewan Saengchan, who lives in a Khao Pang Ma village, said she was concerned about the forest officials' raids on the resorts and vacation houses allegedly built in the forest reserve.

'They didn't encroach on the forest reserve as there was a clear area between the forest and the living zone.

"We sold the land to them [the resort operators] since we couldn't make a living from only planting crops.

"We needed to sell the land so that we would have the money to pay off our huge debts," she said.

In another development, the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission said yesterday it would launch an investigation into alleged encroachment on more than 3,000 rai of public land in Sung Noen district.

The commission would next week go to the district to inspect the Sor Por Kor title deeds issued to the current owners of land plots which were suspected of being issued unlawfully, said Ampon Wongsiri, secretary-general of the PACC.

A preliminary investigation by the PACC showed more than 1,200 rai of the land was rented out to villagers and the land was owned by relatives of certain local politicians, he said.

The scope of the PACC's investigation into the alleged land encroachment extended to the role of the government officials who were probably involved in unlawfully issuing the title deeds, he said.

The PACC would also send another team to investigate an alleged land encroachment case in Prachin Buri's Prachantakham district where at least 22 plots of land were illegally owned, said Mr Ampon.He said title deeds had unlawfully been issued to the owners of the land and they must be revoked. But the revocation process had not made much progress so far for reasons that the PACC would have to determine.

[Admin]

ENCROACHMENT

Tourism in Wang Nam Khieo to be phased out
Published: 5/08/2011 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post: Newspaper section: News
 
NAKHON RATCHASIMA : The tourism industry will be phased out in Wang Nam Khieo district which will be designated a forest conservation and agricultural zone, provincial governor Rapee Pongbupakij said yesterday.

Speaking after a meeting with forestry officials, Mr Rapee said he and local officials would join national forestry staff in taking legal action against resort developers found to have encroached on forest and agricultural lands.

The governor backed the plan despite escalating conflicts with tourism operators who are upset with moves to shut down and evict resorts said to be operating illegally in forest reserves.

Mr Rapee yesterday abruptly changed the meeting venue from a forest management office to a provincial hall after receiving reports that villagers and tourism operators planned to demonstrate outside.

"As governor, I don't want to arrest my own people," Mr Rapee said. "But I have to [take legal action against wrongdoers] or I will be charged with negligence of duty."

Officials would work together to ensure forest reserves and land set aside for agricultural purposes was being used as intended.

Areas under the supervision of the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation and the Royal Forest departments should be preserved for conservation purposes, he added.

"We will take legal action against wrongdoers step by step," the governor said.

"We will also provide assistance to locals affected by the operations."

He warned Royal Forest Department chief Suwit Rattanamanee to avoid inspecting resorts suspected of encroaching on forest areas as residents and affected business owners may try to harm him.

Mr Suwit yesterday vowed to press ahead with the plan to evict encroachers from protected forest areas.

Forestry staff will issue search warrants to inspect 22 resorts and holiday homes that were illegally built in the Pa Khao Pu Luang forest reserve in Wang Nam Khieo district, he said.

"The legal action will affect locals, but we need to do our job," he said after the meeting.

"The forest zone is not a place for resorts."

About 20 Wang Nam Khieo residents gathered at the provincial hall yesterday to protest against the department's plan to sue resort operators.

Tanit Chimchana, the group's representative, said the operation reflected a lack of understanding about the economics of Wang Nam Khieo district, where locals rely on tourism to make a living.

Many people occupied the land before the state declared the area a protected forest zone, he said.

The Pa Khao Pu Luang forest reserve overlaps with residential plots of some 80 villagers, he said.

"Authorities stole our land and now they are calling us forest encroachers," Mr Tanit said, adding that resort developers had helped grow trees and protect the forest.

He called on the department to establish a clear forest border to prevent confusion over land occupation rights.

Guidelines on resort construction and forest conservation rules should be drafted to provide direction to resort owners and villagers.

[Admin]

Forest officials will demolish resorts
By PONGPHON SARNSAMAK
The Nation 2011-08-12

The Royal Forest Department (RFD) plans to demolish and remove resorts and private homes built illegally on Khao Phu Luang forest reserves in the Wang Nam Kheow district of Nakhon Ratchasima province if the owners do not follow orders to do so themselves within 45 days.

Six teams of forestry officials have now inspected all 22 resorts suspected of occupying forestland.

The chief of Forest Resources Management Division 8 in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Suthep Pawaredwittayalan, said his agency used a map showing forest-area boundaries and a GPS (Global Positioning System) device to determine the positions of encroaching plots in order to issue demands that the 22 developers remove their structures from the reserve.

Developers who now face orders to demolish and move have vowed to fight the RFD's legal action, saying they have documents to prove their ownership of their land.

Suthep yesterday led a group of 300 forest officials to inspect 11 of the 22 resorts suspected of occupying forestland. They were also tasked with confirming the ownership of the structures and confirming evidence from maps and aerial photographs that developers were encroaching on the Khao Phu Luang forest reserve.

The teams found that most resorts were tightly locked and the landlords absent. Some had caretakers who presenting papers to the RFD officials.

"We were unable to meet any of the owners suspected of occupying forestland during our inspection trip," Suthep said.

He said his team did not have any land documents to prove that the developers had illegally built structures in forest reserves. Officials had only a map showing forest areas and the positions of the 22 resorts measured by a GPS device.

"It is very difficult to ask the Land Development or any land-related agencies to provide us with land documents to prove [the claims to] ownership of these developers.

"So we have had to visit their resorts and ask them to show us legal land documents," he said.

"The RFD will allow them to stay if they can prove that they were occupying these areas before the Khao Phu Luang forest areas were designated as conservation reserves," Suthep said.

The RFD's checks in Wang Nam Kheow district will be completed this week and the existing evidence should be sufficient to take legal action against the alleged offenders, he said.

The department will give resort owners 15 days to submit documents affirming their ownership of the land they occupy. If they fail to prove proper ownership, they will be ordered to dismantle all improvements on their site within 45 days and leave. If they resist, officials will demolish the buildings themselves, Suthep said.

The department has filed complaints with the Wang Nam Kheow Police Station against the owners |of the 22 resorts for trespassing, he said.

Meanwhile, a developer in Wang Nam Kheow district who asked not to be named said he owned three houses in the Khao Phu Luang forest reserve, but he had lived there since 1971 - before the areas were designated as forest reserves.

However, he does not have land documents to confirm his ownership. He has only land-development tax certificates, which cannot be used to claim ownership of the land.

"I hope my mango trees, which were planted on my land more than 40 years ago, will prove my ownership of the land," he said.

RFD inspectors visited his private home on Wednesday, but did not enter his property. They measured the position of his land using a GPS device and went away, he said.

[Admin]

Farmers gave land titles to resort builders : ALRO
By PRASIT TANGPRASERT
PONGPHON SARNSAMAK
Nakhon Ratchasima
The Nation 2011-08-16

Nakhon Ratchasima's provincial Agricultural Land Reform Office (ALRO) has found 21 Sor Por Kor 4-01 land title deeds for sites now occupied by a number of luxury resorts in Wang Nam Kheow district.

The deeds - under which land cannot be bought or sold - cover about 500 rai (80 hectares).

Local ALRO chief Prasert Wisitthajinda said his agency had been investigating the abuse of Sor Por Kor 4-01 land reform certificates in the province.

Since 1993, the agency has distributed 139,300 rai of degraded forest to 6,412 landless farmers. During the past few days the agency has investigated 572 of these farmers.

Preliminary results found nearly 280 farmers had used the reformed lands for other than agricultural purposes and 21 had transferred their land to developers and built resorts on 500 rai of these lands.

The agency found that about 60 per cent of the reformed land allocated to landless people was still being used for agricultural purposes.

The ALRO sent official letters to ask the 21 farmers who had transferred their lands to people for development as resorts, to submit their rights documents to the office within 15 days.

If they fail to present the title deeds, the occupiers will be asked to demolish and remove all construction within 30 days.

Prasert said his agency had sent a letter to the daughter of Pranom Pohkam, a Nakhon Ratchasima MP and Bhum Jai Thai party member, who had built a resort on reformed land and asked her for the title deeds. Her resort had changed its name from Dragon Hill to Golden Mountain.

"We found that this resort is on the mountain and slope area. It must be turned over to the Royal Forest Department," Prasert said.

However, he added that his officials were facing many obstacles to investigate the alleged land scandal as villagers, farmers and developers were not cooperating. Most resorts and private homes in reformed land were locked.

Samer Jindapong, chairman of the Nakhon Ratchasima Tourism Association, said many resorts and hotels in Wang Nam Kheow district had cut accommodation prices by 50 per cent after the crackdown by the Royal Forest Department and other agencies.

"Resort and hotel owners will organise a special trip to take tourists to see what is really happening in Wang Nam Kheow district," he said.

Sunant Arunnopparat, director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, said he had set up a special panel to investigate alleged disciplinary violations by officials involved in a scandal where Taiwanese immigrants had changed and developed a national-park area for a big rubber plantation.

"If they're found guilty, they must quit their jobs immediately," he said.

[Admin]

WANG NAM KHEOW SCANDAL
Six resort owners identified, face charges
By JANJIRA PONGRAI
KASEM CHANATHINART
The Nation 2011-09-08

Nakhon Ratchasima Governor Rapi Pongbuppakit yesterday identified the alleged owners of six resort/vacation homes in his province's forest reserve, all of whom will be summoned soon to face charges relating to encroachment.

They are Rasitapak Tanasriwanichchai, Asira Jessadanikorn, Somsak Kongsapsakun, Prapat Herbkhuntod, Chaleaw Daengkratoke, Montri Chalayon and Kanoknart Rangsitianchai. Montri and Kanoknart are co-owners of Krua Im Suk Resort.

All the resorts and vacation homes are located in the forest reserve in Nakhon Ratchasima's Wang Nam Kheow district.

"Investigators will summon them soon," Rapi said in his capacity as chief investigator in the case, "After they receive the summons, they must turn themselves in within 14 days or face arrest warrants".

Administrative officials and police have worked together in solving the forest-encroachment cases.

He added the team was in the process of gathering evidence relating to 16 other resorts found in the forest reserve.

Meanwhile, Muang Lampang District chief Mongkhon Suksai yesterday disclosed that the Office of Public-Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) had already asked the Lands Department to revoke Nor Sor 3 land-right documents and land-title deeds of a company owned by a local politician because they covered 2,400 rai of permanent forestland.

Damrong Pidej, acting director-general of the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, yesterday vowed to crack down on forest encroachment.

"I will focus on the southern national parks where many locals have encroached on forest for rubber plantations," he said.

Thap Lan National Park chief Tewin Meesap yesterday said he would soon report to Damrong his unit's action against forest encroachment.

"Three cases have already been closed," he said.

Many resorts were found to have operated in the Thap Lan National Park in Prachin Buri.

Tewin firmly dismissed an allegation that officials had received a Bt1-million bribe from resort owners who had flouted the law.

"Apart from those three cases, we are acting on 115 new cases," he said.

He said relevant officials were now preparing to pull down 38 resorts or vacation homes in the national park.

"The announcement about order to dismantle has already been posted," he said.

Damrong said that after the posting, the dismantling would take place within 45 days if the owners did not come forward and lodge an appeal.

"The owners of more than 30 properties have appealed," he said.

[nookiebear]

I have a friend who has a legal resort there,he is loving this as there are some big names involved in this lot

[Admin]

More than 200 encroachment sites in Wang Nam Kheow: park officials
The Nation 2011-09-10

The scale of encroachment on forest reserve land in Nakhon Ratchasima's Wang Nam Kheow district is too large for Tab Lan National Park officials to handle alone, park chief Tewin Meesap said yesterday.

"There are more than 200 encroachers. They have established villages inside the forest reserve," he said, highlighting the fact that encroachment was not perpetrated by rich people alone.

According to Tewin, some cases of encroachment traced back to 2000. These older cases, however, mostly involved resorts and vacation homes built by wealthy people. Fearing legal prosecution, the owners of these properties have not come forward.

Tewin said officials had posted announcements on more than 100 properties ordering the demolition of structures on the land.

"The court has already approved the demolitions of three properties," he said.

More than 100 workers and two backhoes were at the park's disposal and could be mobilised on any given day to raze the properties, he said.

Meanwhile, Forest Resources Management Office 8 in Nakhon Ratchasima is waiting to hear from the owners of 22 properties found inside the forest reserve in Wang Nam Kheow last month.

"We announced on August 25 that legal action would be taken, but none [of the property owners] has officially contacted us. This is the last day they can produce evidence to dispute the charge that their properties encroach on forest reserve," the office's director, Suthep Pawareswittayalarn, said yesterday.

He said his office was coordinating with other agencies to identify all the owners of encroaching properties.

"If the owners are identified, we will sue them for compensation," he said.

[Admin]

All illegal structures in national parks to be targeted
By PONGPHON SARNSAMAK
Prachin Buri
The Nation 2011-09-22

After the demolition of three private houses that were illegally built in Prachin Buri province's Tab Lan National Park, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNP) has ordered its officials to look for illegal structures in other national parks nationwide.

A team of about 100 officials, led by DNP director-general Damrong Pidej, tore down the houses in Tab Lan yesterday. Two of the houses were located in tambon Udomsab in Nakhon Ratchasima's Wang Nam Kheow district, while the third was in tambon Bubhram in Prachin Buri's Na Di district.

The court had issued a demolition order since 2000, but this is the first time that the DNP has taken action. Owners of the homes face between Bt4,000 and Bt75,000 in fines in addition to two years in prison.

Damrong said his officials were now taking legal action against the owners of another 50 resorts and private homes believed to be illegally built in the Tab Lan National Park area. The court has given the authorities until December to remove all illegal structures in national parks.

"If the laws were strictly enforced, these houses would never have been built," Damrong said, adding that some resort owners had contacted him and begged to be allowed to stay on.

The DNP chief said he had set up a special task force to conduct another round of investigations and see if those living in the area had ownership papers dating back to before June 30, 1998, when the Cabinet designated the areas as national park.

Meanwhile, security and forest officials in Yala confirmed that 836,000-rai of the Sirikit forest reserve, originally known as the Hala-Bala forest, had been emptied to make way for agarwood trees, the resin of which is used to make incense.

The officials will visit the forest reserve today to verify the report and estimate the scale of the encroachment because the only evidence available are aerial photographs published in newspapers.