Rubber will wipe out South's parks in 10 years: ministry

By Janjira Pongrai

The Nation

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry yesterday warned that rubber plantations would be replacing all national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in the South from Chumphon down within the next 10 years.

"Investors have now hired alien workers to plant rubber trees in the forest zones at night," the ministry's deputy permanent secretary Damrong Pidej said at a press conference.

The event was called to mark National Forest Conservation Day.

Damrong said his ministry's officials - who were very limited in number - could not stop the problem because the investors had huge influence.

"Now, we have three to four officials supervising thousands of rai of forestland. How far can we go then?" Damrong asked.

He said his ministry's officials could not patrol forest zones in the three southernmost provinces at all due to the unrest.

"It's too dangerous for them," he said.

Damrong also blamed superannuated laws for the problem.

He added that the state would soon lose much of its state land to hill-tribe people who would try to prove they have the right to stay in the forestland, because they had lived there for a long time already.

Royal Forest Department director-general Suwit Rattanamanee said his agency planned to reclaim 10,000 rai of forestland back this year.

"We will also seriously prevent land encroachment," he added.

Suwit said his department would also ban any road expansion inside national parks.

Last year, the traffic-lane expansion project for a road leading to the Khao Yai National Park made headlines and generated a huge controversy.

Currently, forestland accounts for just 32.91 per cent of land in the country. The government has a goal of raising the ratio to 40 per cent.

"That means we will need to 20 million more of forestland," Suwit said.

-- The Nation 2011-01-11

Thai Ministry, You stated this will happen. You have from NOW to prevent it. simple as that. Or is the big business involved too big for the ministry to handle. Its not as if its not preventable. What is the ministry doing all day-talking about it. Action is all thats needed.

Corruption - the dis-ease of Thailand.

"... Damrong said his ministry's officials - who were very limited in number - could not stop the problem because the investors had huge influence."

This says it all.

If those appointed to the position can not handle their job description, send them down the road kicking rocks. Sounds like the deputy permanent sectary has conceded that within 10 years he will have no forest to protect. Those "Influential People" crawl out from under a rock again, the hill tribe are a threat as squatters and its just too unsafe for us to watch all these proceeding in the south.

If the rice farmer had a similar attitude and was this pessimistic about his ability to protect his crops this country would starve to death.

Corruption - the dis-ease of Thailand.

"... Damrong said his ministry's officials - who were very limited in number - could not stop the problem because the investors had huge influence."

This says it all.

If its in the national interest, and vital (which it is) No staff--5555555555555 Bring in the army-clear out the rubber trees, then move more staff to control. Thailand has loads of surplass staff in government departments, move them / tranfer them to this ministry. the police should be involved--isn't it a crime to encroach-so department says it cannot-the police are not there to enforce-the government is not powerful to prevent the business, This has to be a sorry state. I could only think of the army to help. Its as big as Englands-with 10 times more generals. Well ???

If a certain very influential person would condemn it then the problem would go away.

Ditto encroachment into Khao Yai & other National Parks.

South Park's Ministry gone? Noooooooooo.....

Isn't there a word for this ? Banana republic springs to mind.

Yes, how dare those hill tribe people claim a right to the land in which they've lived for hundreds and thousands of years.

rolling eyes...

thought all land is owned by the king...? byebye khao sok

Having already experienced the "parks" in the South, I think that I would rather picnic in a rubber plantation.

"Investors have now hired alien workers to plant rubber trees in the forest zones at night," the ministry's deputy permanent secretary Damrong Pidej said at a press conference.

So? You know what area of land has been designated national park. If someone cuts it down and plants rubber you cut *their* trees down. You never, ever let them profit from that crop. Keep it up, eventually people stop cutting down national parks.

The reason people do this is that they know the authorities will turn a blind eye and let them get away with it. You have noone to blame but yourself, Permanent Secretary.

Corruption - the dis-ease of Thailand.

"... Damrong said his ministry's officials - who were very limited in number - could not stop the problem because the investors had huge influence."

This says it all.

If its in the national interest, and vital (which it is) No staff--5555555555555 Bring in the army-clear out the rubber trees, then move more staff to control. Thailand has loads of surplass staff in government departments, move them / tranfer them to this ministry. the police should be involved--isn't it a crime to encroach-so department says it cannot-the police are not there to enforce-the government is not powerful to prevent the business, This has to be a sorry state. I could only think of the army to help. Its as big as Englands-with 10 times more generals. Well ???

10 times more of everything especially government workers and then nothing ever gets done. Their motto hire more and we will take longer.I have to deal with them tomorrow used to have 2 employees in the department 6 years ago

and 15 minutes later was out the door even if busy now have 10-12 and I can be the only one there and lucky to get out in one hour. This must be progress

Rubber is selling like hotcake now due to scarce latex sap caused by recent flood in South, sure plating more rubber trees will help Thailand economy to grow stronger!

The reason people do this is that they know the authorities will turn a blind eye and let them get away with it. You have noone to blame but yourself, Permanent Secretary.

Turn a blind eye????

Absolutely not!

They will be totally focussed on the kick-backs....