Chiang Mai: 149 "illegal" resort buildings to be demolished on Mount Mon Jam

[webfact]

149 "illegal" resort buildings to be demolished on Mount Mon Jam

By THE NATION

 

 

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry is investigating encroachment of national forest land on Chiang Mai’s popular tourist attraction of Mount Mon Jam, the assistant to the ministry, Nopphadol Pholsen, said on Sunday (July 12).

 

Best known for its beautiful mountaintop viewpoint over the Mae Rim Valley and the floral orchard of its Royal Project farms, Mon Jam is about an hour’s drive from central Chiang Mai.

 

“The Royal Forest Department had reported up to 29 resorts with 149 buildings have encroached on forest land and had filed charges against them at the Chiang Mai provincial court early this year,” he said. “The court then issued demolition orders for the department to carry out. So far we have demolished eight newly constructed buildings about to open for business.”

 

Meanwhile, Surin Natheepraiwan, village headman of Moo 11, where the encroachment has taken place, said the resort operators who trespassed on forest lands are mostly investors from out of town who bought lands from local owners.

 

“The land on which they built hotels and resorts was later declared to be a national forest,” he said. “Furthermore, the law allows only local residents to use lands for tourism-related purposes. So these resort and hotel owners are in the wrong, whether their land is in national forest areas or not.”

The department said there are about 80 operators who are under investigation.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30391189

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-07-13

 

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[BritManToo]

There's a lot of ugly development going on there.

[trainman34014]

'Out of Town' Investors are mainly Chinese according to Locals.

[johng]

What happened to those  "government officers quarters"  that where found to be encroaching ?

[ezzra]

It begs the question, how come 149 illegally built hotels were allowed to be erected undetected, i would sack the all the building inspectors and whom ever is incharge on making sure these thing doesn't happen...

[transam]

Just now, ezzra said:

It begs the question, how come 149 illegally built hotels were allowed to be erected undetected, i would sack the all the building inspectors and whom ever is incharge on making sure these thing doesn't happen...

Donations, perhaps........????

[ThailandRyan]

What about all the houses built for the Judges as well

[NorthernRyland]

Many little shops have opened up along the road to Samoeng from Mae Rim, including a nasty little coffee shop which spoiled a particularly unique high elevation valley that I used to really enjoy. Lots of drunks and speed demons flying up and down the mountain now. Those people are making some good money while spoiling the little nature Chiang Mai has left.

 

These were never here until a couple years ago so I suspect some corrupt official released permits to them? Doesn't seem right to me.

[madmen]

7 minutes ago, ezzra said:

It begs the question, how come 149 illegally built hotels were allowed to be erected undetected, i would sack the all the building inspectors and whom ever is incharge on making sure these thing doesn't happen...

So instead of exchanging Brown envelopes the current government are shutting them down. So they are doing the right thing but will still attract a bashing on here no doubts

[ThailandRyan]

9 minutes ago, ezzra said:

It begs the question, how come 149 illegally built hotels were allowed to be erected undetected, i would sack the all the building inspectors and whom ever is incharge on making sure these thing doesn't happen...

Building inspectors in Thailand, do not make me laugh.  Over the time I have lived here and had 2 homes built in a Northern Province, never once did I see an inspector to check and see if the house was being built in a proper location.  The only inspection ever carried out was when it came time to be hooked up to power, and then that inspection was carried out by the power company.  Only paperwork ever needed was signed of by the Phu Yai and money handed over to the Or Bon Tor.  No Chanote for the residence, just the land paper which was signed by the office to allow for power to be brought to the property.  Possibly the same in Chiang Mai, and someones pockets were filled and fake land notes created.

[mike787]

just burn them down during spring with the rice burn for 6 months of every year.

[BritManToo]

30 minutes ago, ezzra said:

It begs the question, how come 149 illegally built hotels were allowed to be erected undetected, i would sack the all the building inspectors and whom ever is incharge on making sure these thing doesn't happen...

They're bamboo huts.

[MikeN]

47 minutes ago, webfact said:

the law allows only local residents to use lands for tourism-related purposes. So these resort and hotel owners are in the wrong, whether their land is in national forest areas or not.”

But the locals had absolutely no qualms about selling the land even though they knew of the restrictions.

[Dante99]

5 minutes ago, MikeN said:

But the locals had absolutely no qualms about selling the land even though they knew of the restrictions.

All land has some restrictions, it is up to the buyer to research what he is buying to know what they are.  Same anywhere.

[CGW]

The new "land tax" is going to catch a lot of people out, they have been to my house twice in the past month as they made a mistake and wanted to charge tax on half the land, this tax is just gaining momentum now...................

[thequietman]

1 hour ago, johng said:

What happened to those  "government officers quarters"  that where found to be encroaching ?

I will answer in a simple Gif. ????

 

That is all.

[thequietman]

58 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

What about all the houses built for the Judges as well

Once again, I will refer you to the gif. ????

[Greenside]

18 minutes ago, CGW said:

The new "land tax" is going to catch a lot of people out, they have been to my house twice in the past month as they made a mistake and wanted to charge tax on half the land, this tax is just gaining momentum now...................

Where is your house located?

[CGW]

2 minutes ago, Greenside said:

Where is your house located?

West of Udon Thani

[MikeN]

1 hour ago, Dante99 said:

All land has some restrictions, it is up to the buyer to research what he is buying to know what they are.  Same anywhere.

True, but the point is that the locals knew only they could use it for tourism but sold it to outsiders, then the locals complained about the resorts !

[Bill97]

3 hours ago, MikeN said:

True, but the point is that the locals knew only they could use it for tourism but sold it to outsiders, then the locals complained about the resorts !

No the point is no problem if the buyer did their due dilligance.

[off road pat]

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

It begs the question, how come 149 illegally built hotels were allowed to be erected undetected, i would sack the all the building inspectors and whom ever is incharge on making sure these thing doesn't happen...

That would have been my question too....“The Royal Forest Department had reported up to 29 resorts with 149 buildings have encroached on forest land and had filed charges against them at the Chiang Mai provincial court early this year,” ???? UNDETECTED ?????

 

[KMartinHandyman]

Odd “the land was later declared national forest“ as in retroactively and if you buy land from a local who has the right to develop it for tourism don’t you become the new local with the right to,,,,just asking.

[sammieuk1]

Whilst you have got the bulldozers out the whole of CM needs some leveling or other????

[Bill97]

38 minutes ago, KMartinHandyman said:

Odd “the land was later declared national forest“ as in retroactively and if you buy land from a local who has the right to develop it for tourism don’t you become the new local with the right to,,,,just asking.

No.  You buy land and get nothing because it is illegal for you to own land.

 

Where in the world does land purchase make you a local?  Certainly not most places.

 

Where did you come from?

[american2]

What about the illegal Hotels that were investigated last year?  What happened?  These Condominiums were renting as hotels and ordered to halt renting or be de constructed.  Haven't heard of any dismantling here in Hua Hin and there were many in operation.

[Burma Bill]

9 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

'Out of Town' Investors are mainly Chinese according to Locals.

Great - demolish the lot!!!!

[GreasyFingers]

3 hours ago, KMartinHandyman said:

Odd “the land was later declared national forest“ as in retroactively and if you buy land from a local who has the right to develop it for tourism don’t you become the new local with the right to,,,,just asking.

Not that unusual. The Forestry Department is still drawing lines on maps that they think should be theirs without investigating the current titles. Plus with their large scale mapping a pencil line can be 400 metres wide. They do not really know what is their land as the titles were issued without their knowledge.

[samsensam]

9 hours ago, MikeN said:

But the locals had absolutely no qualms about selling the land even though they knew of the restrictions.

 

caveat emptor, applies the world over.

 

[Yorkshire Tea]

58 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Great - demolish the lot!!!!

And once gone, they will be replaced by plastic sheet greenhouses covering the hillsides.  Just like the rest of Mon Chaem & surrounding hill tribe villages.

Edited July 13, 2020 by Yorkshire Tea