Phrae And Chiang Rai Networks Demand Land Reforms

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Network pushes for land reforms

By THE NATION

Phrae and Chiang Rai networks table land-reform demands to Yingluck, MPs

Phrae's land-reform network yesterday urged prime minister-in-waiting Yingluck Shinawatra, Pheu Thai party-list MPs and Phrae MPs to narrow the social divide by ensuring the fair distribution of land ownership.

Chiang Rai's land-reform network presented a similar set of demands, and also objected to the possibility of having Pheu Thai Party deputy leader Plodprasop Suraswadi as the new natural resources and environment minister.

In Phrae's Mueang district, the provincial land-reform network submitted six demands through Phrae Governor Chuan Sirinanporn.

Its leader Winai Daja said that, firstly, the network wanted a nationwide land-ownership database to be drawn up and made accessible to the public, so that the information could be used for fair planning, managing and distributing land ownership.

Second, the network wants the government to issue communal land-title deeds, so as to prevent ownership transferring out of farmers' hands and to motivate community participation in preventing further deforestation.

Third, it wants the implementation of progressive tax collection in accordance with land ownership, in order to discourage the stockpiling of land for future profit and leaving the land unused in the meantime.

Fourth, the network wants the land-bank fund to be the mechanism for acquiring and distributing land to retail farmers and poor and landless people.

Fifth, it wants the cancellation of civil and criminal lawsuits against farmers whose lands were later declared to be state property.

Lastly, the network wants the June 30, 2008 Cabinet resolution on the guidelines for proving people's rights over forest land to be cancelled, on the grounds that it is unfair and has caused endless disputes between communities and state agencies.

At Chiang Rai City Hall, a similar set of demands, the objection to Plodprasop as the next natural resources and environment minister, and the suggestion that their land-reform proposals should be put on the national agenda, was made to Yingluck via Chiang Rai Pheu Thai MPs by 100 members of the province's land-reform network.

Meanwhile, in Lamphun's Wiang Nong Long district, 200 members of the province's land-reform network picked up villager Chaowalit Charoenphew, who was released yesterday morning following his imprisonment for land encroachment.

They then joined with fellow residents to send 6,000 postcards to Yingluck at the Pheu Thai Party headquarters, calling on the new government to tackle land issues for them. They said they would travel on foot to protest in Bangkok if their demands were ignored.

In related news, the land survey for the issuance of community land-title deeds to 65 communities - 52 in the North, seven in the South and six in the Northeast - was given the green light yesterday, said PM's Office Minister Satit Wongnongtaey.

Following yesterday's meeting of the panel coordinating the matter, chairman Satit said that, during the time the PM's Office regulation on community land-title deeds had been in effect, from late last year until June 30, 428 communities had applied for deeds.

Some 191 of them are now in the process of getting deeds, and another 138 have been approved for land survey. The survey has been completed for all but five of the 138 communities, he said.

Satit added that the authorities would soon have to amend related laws in order to support the scheme.

-- The Nation 2011-07-21

[Thai-Aust]

"objection to Plodprasop as the next natural resources and environment minister"

At least they know who is one of the most corrupt ministers when it comes to natural resources.

Edited July 21, 2011 by Thai-Aust