Thailand govt to review Thap Lan National Park boundary

Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Patcharawat Wongsuwan addressed public concerns over the proposed boundary adjustments to Thap Lan National Park in Prachin Buri, Nakhon Ratchasima. Public opinion will be considered before final decisions are made by this Friday, July 12.

The issue currently undergoing public consultation has drawn mixed reactions, with some citizens voicing strong opposition. The consultation period is set to conclude on July 12, after which the Department of National Parks (DNP) will review the feedback and finalise actions within 30 days. Presently, villagers occupy approximately 50,000 rai of land out of a total of 260,000 rai in the area.

When questioned about public opposition, particularly concerns that the land reallocation could benefit private investors, Patcharawat assured that all opinions would be taken into account.

DNP Director-General Attapol Charoenchansa highlighted the historical context of the issue. Since 1981, the area has been a subject of contention. Initially a forest reserve, it was later designated as a national park, overlapping with lands allocated for agricultural use by local communities.

This overlap has been acknowledged as an oversight by the Royal Forest Department (RFD). Efforts to resolve this began in 2000 with a survey to redefine boundaries, but legal complexities have prolonged the situation.

Successive governments have attempted to address the issue, leading to a resolution by the National Land Policy Committee (NLPC) to reallocate community land under the supervision of the Agricultural Land Reform Office (ALRO). The Cabinet endorsed this resolution, except for landowners involved in legal disputes.

Attapol noted that the DNP is gathering public opinions both offline and online, which will then be presented to the National Park Committee for review within 30 days. The Committee aims to balance agricultural needs with forest conservation.

The discussion involves over 200,000 rai of land, including 12,000 rai occupied by resort groups under legal scrutiny. The focus is on how to manage these areas while considering the rights of original landowners. Attapol clarified that eligibility for land use will be determined by legal criteria, and the Committee will consider all feedback before reaching a final decision.

When asked if the Cabinet’s resolution on March 14 last year favoured private investors, Attapol responded that the government is working to ensure that land remains state-owned. Any use must meet legal qualifications and non-compliant land will revert to the state.

Further questions highlighted concerns about equal rights for original and new land occupants. Attapol explained that while the land status remains consistent, individual qualifications vary. Long-term residents and those who have recently purchased land will be assessed differently. Farmers using land for agriculture will be given priority in the reallocation process.

The DNP will wait for the National Park Committee’s recommendations before potentially proposing any changes to the existing Cabinet resolution. The focus remains on resolving long-standing land disputes while ensuring fair access and conservation of national park lands, reported KhaoSod.

By Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Photo courtesy of KhaoSod

-- 2024-07-09

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