Kaeng Krachan National Park officers can’t burn down Karen villagers’ homes, court told

By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM 
THE NATION

 

 

THE SUPREME Administrative Court was told yesterday that Kaeng Krachan National Park officers do not have the right to burn down Karen villages.

 

The court heard evidence in the case of Ban Bangkloi Bon residents against park officers who burned down their properties in 2011 to remove them from the park.

 

While the court still did not deliver a verdict in the case, Surapong Kongchantuk, the head of the legal working group for the villagers, said that the 106-year-old spiritual leader of the Karen community and first plaintiff, Ko-i Mimi, hoped the court would allow him to return to his birthplace at Ban Bangkloi Bon, as his health was declining.

 

 

Surapong said that in the court proceedings yesterday, one of the jurors pointed out that although the national park officers had the authority to remove the properties, which encroached on the forestland, they could not burn down people’s properties without prior notice.

 

“This remark of the juror is new, as the earlier Administrative Court verdict only concluded that the officers of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department had the authority to dismantle the community that was found to encroach upon forestland, but they have no rights to destroy the people’s personal belongings,” Surapong said.

 

“However, this time, the juror noted that the national park officers have to follow the proper procedure to warn encroachers to relocate from the land first and not simply raid the community without warning and burn the whole community down to the ground, so this operation of national park officers is a violation of Article 22 of the National Park Act.”

 

He also said that Ko-I was too frail to be present in court yesterday but still hoped that the court would allow him to return to Ban Bangkloi Bon, as his current living conditions were bad and making his health worse.

 

Surapong said that the court did not give a date for when it would announce its verdict.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30340850

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-03-14

Maybe  there is hope in Thailand, after all.

25 minutes ago, webfact said:

... one of the jurors ...

Wonder who this refers to? Thailand's judicial system doesn't have juries, so I guess it must refer to one of a panel of judges hearing the case. In which case, it's refreshing to see a court stand up for the downtrodden.

7 years to decide its unfair to burn down somebodies home. Hardly striding towards a better world are we?

2 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

Maybe  there is hope in Thailand, after all.

current thailand seems to be in a two-steps-forward-two-steps back mode

It is a relief the ruling still allows removing such illegal houses from the national forests. Having lived among hilltribes for years and having friends there, it is sad how these people burn down and kill everything within reach. The last remnants of forests in Thailand are in desperate need of all the protection they can get.

 

Which came first.... the village or the NP?

 

if the village, then the national parks office should have compensated and relocated the villagers.

 

 

3 hours ago, canopy said:

The last remnants of forests in Thailand are in desperate need of all the protection they can get.

Don't look to the military for protection. It apparently has no issues selling Thailand forests for home subdivisions, ie., the swath of protected forest on the slopes of Doi Suthep felled for residences for court officials.

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2018/02/23/homes-carved-doi-suthep-forest-totally-legal-official/

 

7 hours ago, canopy said:

It is a relief the ruling still allows removing such illegal houses from the national forests. Having lived among hilltribes for years and having friends there, it is sad how these people burn down and kill everything within reach. The last remnants of forests in Thailand are in desperate need of all the protection they can get.

 

 

 I could not agree more. I was told that nearly all of the poachers caught in the Kaeng Krachan and Kui Buri parks are ethnic Karen.

 

And I see theres no mention of the field of marijuana as well.

A ray of hope and a bit of "justice". Nice to see.