Jailing of another small-scale farmer for encroachment sparks public outcry

By The Nation

 

File Photo

 

The government’s forest reclamation policy claimed another victim on Tuesday when a small-scale farmer in Lampang was slapped with one year in jail and fined Bt400,000 for encroachment and possession of weapons.

 

The Court of Appeals found Saengduen Dinyod (also known as Wannueng Yawichaipong), 53, guilty of the charges, which had previously been revoked by the Civil Court on December 18, 2019.

 

However, local farmers and netizens expressed solidarity with Saengduen, saying that large-scale landowners were immune from encroachment charges which resulted in jail for small-scale farmers.

 

Saengduen was accused of encroaching on Tham Pha Thai National Park in 2013 and 2015, but after her 12-rai farm was ruled to be outside the park’s boundary, she requested compensation. She was, however, accused of encroachment once again in 2018, this time by Mae Pong forest officials.

 

She was ruled not guilty after aerial photos of the area showed she had farmed the area since 1954, well before the forest reclamation policy came into effect under the 2014 post-coup regime. However, the prosecutor appealed that verdict in May and it was overturned.

 

According to the Northern Development Foundation NGO, there have been 46,000 forest encroachment cases under Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s government but none of the large landowners accused have been arrested.

 

Prayut’s government had previously promised to protect the rights of small-scale farmers affected by the reclamation policy.

 

Netizens have compared Saengduen’s case with the stalled encroachment case against ruling party MP Pareena Kraikupt, saying it demonstrates there is one law for the rich and influential and another law for the poor. 

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30394190

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-09-08

 

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Money talks and BS walks, while those who are poor and in a lower class are always trodden on.  I hope that the BS complaint which appears to be a personal grudge from someone is tossed once again and the person filing the complaint is arrested for filing false claims and wasting the courts time.

Land matters...money flow decides most of these disputes...not a sense of fairness or justice. 

Like giving yourself, your family and cronies immunity is fair. There is no corruption if you can’t be charged for it. 

We wait to see what that Pareena gets. Dont hold your breath 

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

she had farmed the area since 1954

If she's 53 years old, then she started farming the area approximately 13 years before she was born.

1 hour ago, 2long said:

If she's 53 years old, then she started farming the area approximately 13 years before she was born.

Er - she had parents?

"Prayut’s government had previously promised to protect the rights of small-scale farmers affected by the reclamation policy."

 

Just another lie of Pinocchio Chan-o-cha, as every single other sentence he has been babbling during the recent 6 years. 

 

What happend to the luxury homes of the judges on Doi Suthep, by the way?

 

Edited September 8, 20205 yr by Flying Saucage

Off-topic post reported and removed.

 

Would seem that someone else must have their eye on that piece of forest, and you can bet once they get their hands on it there will be no further encroachment problems. 

 

7 hours ago, Flying Saucage said:

"Prayut’s government had previously promised to protect the rights of small-scale farmers affected by the reclamation policy."

 

Just another lie of Pinocchio Chan-o-cha, as every single other sentence he has been babbling during the recent 6 years. 

 

What happend to the luxury homes of the judges on Doi Suthep, by the way?

 

Don't ask silly questions ????

A stiff penalty for the farmer.  The farmer is in the wrong though.  Encroachment is a long time problem in Thailand.  The Government has to react or just give up.  

15 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

Land matters...money flow decides most of these disputes...not a sense of fairness or justice. 

It's the same the whole world over

Ain't it all a bleeding shame,

It's the rich wot gets the gravy

And the poor wot gets the blame

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

However, local farmers and netizens expressed solidarity with Saengduen, saying that large-scale landowners were immune from encroachment charges which resulted in jail for small-scale farmers.

And ain't that the truth? After all, the hi-so chicken farm chick is still successfully playing the biased system and so far has neither seen a jail cell from the inside nor had she to part with even a single baht:

 

3 hours ago, american2 said:

A stiff penalty for the farmer.  The farmer is in the wrong though.  Encroachment is a long time problem in Thailand.  The Government has to react or just give up.  

She is in the wrong? Twice accused, twice found not guilty!

The blatant two tier justice system,is open for all to see,

on a regular basis,but it is not just Thailand,it's alive and

well all over the World , BUT even more so here.

regards worgeordie

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

However, local farmers and netizens expressed solidarity with Saengduen, saying that large-scale landowners were immune from encroachment charges which resulted in jail for small-scale farmers.

 

one rule for me another for thee.. ????

 

4 hours ago, american2 said:

A stiff penalty for the farmer.  The farmer is in the wrong though.  Encroachment is a long time problem in Thailand.  The Government has to react or just give up.  

Of course the farmer is wrong. She broke the law. But the law should be applied equally to ALL wrong-doing parties including hi-so encroachers who seem to be under the impression that it's their god-given right to illegally occupy often hundreds of hectares of protected land without having to fear much in terms of legal consequences. And THAT is the gist of the article. And THAT is what's been incensing "netizens". And rightfully so.

 

While the farmer in the story has been sentenced in record time to 1 year in jail and a whopping 400,000 baht in fines, a hi-so madam who currently also is in the headlines for encroaching on a much, much larger scale, so far has escaped ANY legal punishment. And it very much appears that she will get away with it.

 

It's the bias with which the laws of this country are applied that is outraging the public. If a small-scale farmer is punished with 1 year and 400,000 baht for illegally occupying a comparatively small patch of land, the hi-so chick, who illegally took possession of several hundred rai of land, surely should be sentenced to 20 years and 400 million baht if the same judicial yardstick is deployed, right?. But she won't. Wanna bet?    

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

She was ruled not guilty after aerial photos of the area showed she had farmed the area since 1954, well before the forest reclamation policy came into effect under the 2014 post-coup regime. However, the prosecutor appealed that verdict in May and it was overturned

Seems harsh, but then again when I start to understand Thai law they change the rules again.

When there is anything free, be it land, money, or other useful commodities - the underlings will be trodden into the dirt by the so-called privileged in the stampede. 

18 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Tham Pha Thai National Park (Lampang Province)

From Google Maps and I wonder how many of the "clear" areas are legal or illegal?

 

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

She was ruled not guilty after aerial photos of the area showed she had farmed the area since 1954, well before the forest reclamation policy came into effect under the 2014 post-coup regime.

Selective reading skills?

11 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

She is in the wrong? Twice accused, twice found not guilty!

The important part being that the verdict was overturned – in other words, she was found guilty.

Thailand's mediaeval land laws have done much to encourage Malaysia's tourist industry.  Farangs can't own land; the poor can't own land.  Only the rich and connected can.

This country will reap what it sows.