Former ISOC Officer Warns Against Land Amnesty Bill

Picture courtesy of Daily News

A former senior officer of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) has raised strong concerns over the draft Land Amnesty Bill, warning it could open the door for large-scale encroachment on Thailand’s forests. Col Pongpetch Ketsupha, former head of ISOC’s SPPO 4 operations unit, said the proposals risk becoming a legal shield for investors and politicians seeking to exploit forest areas nationwide.

On 11 September, the House of Representatives approved in principle two draft bills granting amnesty to people affected by state policies on land and natural resources. The first bill, proposed by MP Sukarno Mata of the Prachachat Party and the second, submitted by MP Laofung Bandittheotsakul of the People’s Party, are now under consideration in the second reading. A special committee chaired by Pol Col Tawee Sodsong has been appointed to review the bills further, with the next meeting scheduled for 25 September.

Sukarno’s draft allows those who encroached on no more than 25 rai of forest land between 1 December 1954 and the present to be exempted from criminal, civil and administrative liability. It would also permit continued residence and farming even in areas that have since reverted to full forest condition. Laofung’s version goes further, granting amnesty to all encroachers regardless of land size and authorising the issuing of title deeds or other land rights documents for state land.

Col Pongpetch argued that passing such legislation would trigger the largest forest encroachment in Thailand’s history, with perpetrators shielded by the law. He noted that most previous encroachment cases have already expired under the statute of limitations and that Cabinet resolutions in 1998 and 2018 already allowed residents to remain on forest land under certain conditions. In his view, there is no need for additional amnesty and he expressed concern that the measure may conceal political motives to reclaim forest land previously seized by the state for future use.

The debate highlights a wider conflict between protecting Thailand’s forests and addressing long-standing land use disputes. The special committee will now accelerate the review of each article of the draft bills, with a final decision expected after the next parliamentary session. The outcome could set a precedent for future land and natural resource management policies.

Key Takeaways

• Two draft land amnesty bills have entered their second reading in parliament.

• Critics warn the proposals could legitimise large-scale forest encroachment.

• A special committee will continue reviewing the bills on 25 September.

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  Adapted by Asean Now from Dailynews 2025-09-21