Thai Authorities Seize Illegal Spiritual Retreat in Forest Reserve

[webfact]

 

Authorities in Thailand have dismantled an illegal spiritual retreat operating within a national forest reserve. The site, complete with unapproved roads, buildings, and accommodations, was seized after a coordinated effort from forest officials, military personnel, police, and local administrative bodies.

 

Pongpetch Kasupha, head of the Operation Unit of the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, and Chanchai Kijsakdapap, leader of the Forest Department’s Tiger Unit, led the crackdown.

 

They were joined by officers from the Environmental Crime Division and administrators from Lom Sak District, Phetchabun Province, as they inspected the Ruesi Sombat Cave spiritual retreat on June 18th.

 

Responding to complaints about illegal activities in the forest reserve near Sombat Cave in the Bung Nam Tao Subdistrict, the inspectors found two nuns and a disciple of a monk at the location.

 

They uncovered a concrete road ascending the mountain, a two-story meditation hall, eight permanent structures with steel roofs, steel bridges, and various temporary buildings—24 constructions in total.

 

These structures were erected without any permissions, contravening the national forest reserve regulations and the Building Control Act mandated by the Bung Nam Tao Subdistrict Administrative Organisation.

 

As a result, all buildings and the surrounding area were confiscated, with legal actions imminent against the monk and his followers. Locals had raised alarms about the encroachments, which spurred the investigation and subsequent raid.

 

Authorities discovered a network of concrete roads and substantial, permanent buildings, suggesting a significant breach of regulations. Such findings required immediate intervention to halt any further illegal activities and preserve the national forest reserve.

 

Moving forward, the area will face rigorous legal scrutiny as the involved parties are charged per the law. The Forest Department actively encourages the public to report any similar illegal land use or forest intrusions.

 

In a related event, officers from Phu Khiao Wildlife Sanctuary revealed another case of alleged encroachment involving monks from a prominent temple in Chaiyaphum, highlighting a broader issue of unauthorized land use in protected areas.

 

Photo courtesy: KhaoSod

 

-- 2024-06-19

 

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[Tropicalevo]

8 minutes ago, webfact said:

They uncovered a concrete road ascending the mountain, a two-story meditation hall, eight permanent structures with steel roofs, steel bridges, and various temporary buildings—24 constructions in total.

That would have taken a while to build and there would have been heavy construction traffic.

Yet the park rangers saw nothing?

[RayOday]

Difficult for the park rangers or RTP to enforce the law when there is fractional enforcement. These public positions are staffed with "clockers" who prefer tea with their phone movies. It appears there is very little enforcement and therefore they are reacting. Special divisions do better such as the Narcotics Suppression Bureau and the Crime Suppression Bureau. To be fair has anyone seen regular foot patrols in any hotspot areas e.g. Pattaya, Patong,Romklao, to name a few.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

That would have taken a while to build and there would have been heavy construction traffic.

Yet the park rangers saw nothing?

 

[digger70]

22 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

That would have taken a while to build and there would have been heavy construction traffic.

Yet the park rangers saw nothing?

Blind Eye and donations come to mind.