Thai National Parks Are Under Attack - We Must Defend Them

[webfact]

EDITORIAL

National parks are under attack - we must defend them

By The Nation

A recent fact-finding mission by 'Nation' reporters revealed the scale of land-encroachment in three provinces

Authorities must give the public answers over what happened in the forest reserves of Prachin Buri, Saraburi and Nakhon Ratchsima provinces. The violators should also be brought to light in order to send a message that society will not tolerate the exploitation of our preserved wilderness areas.

It is a mystery as to why so many resorts have mushroomed in the forest reserves over the past few years under the noses of officials. After all, the construction of these luxury properties would have required many rounds of transportation and gangs of construction workers commuting into the area.

Now that the scandal has made it into the headlines, the issue should not be allowed to disappear without clear explanations given to the public.

This land-grab story is important because it involves authorities' abuse of power, illegal encroachment and exploitation of the environment.

The Nation's latest survey of the area found that large swathes of trees have been cut down, and some sections have been prepared for large-scale construction projects.

Although high-ranking officials and politicians continue to preach the importance of conserving these National Parks, our latest fact-finding mission to Saraburi and Nakhon Ratchsima showed that huge spaces of forest reserve are being shamelessly exploited, with a large portion turned into luxury resorts.

Nation reporters visited the forested area straddling Saraburi and Nakhon Ratchsima provinces after village leaders and members of the local community complained of encroachment into their forest reserves. The villagers are concerned that such massive encroachment could have a potentially disastrous affect on the ecosystem of the mountainous area. With so many trees cut down, they say the stripped mountainous area is now vulnerable to landslides.

The local villagers have identified three types of violator: First, those illegally grabbing land in the forests; second, those encroaching on the natural park and; third, people seeking to benefit by bending the rules on what the land can be used for.

Based on the findings of The Nation's fact-finding mission, a large amount of area under the Sor Por Kor 4-01 land title deed has been transformed into a number of luxury resorts. This is despite the fact that the Sor Por Kor 4-01 area was preserved for farming and not supposed to be transferred to resort investors.

Even worse, parts of the mountainous terrain with at least a 30-degree slope that were supposed to be preserved as pristine forest to maintain the ecosystem, have also been turned into resorts. We also found uprooted trees and construction materials, which had apparently been abruptly abandoned. The culprits must have known that they were engaging in an illegal practice. They apparently left shortly before the survey team arrived.

Unfortunately, this land-grab is not an isolated case in Thailand. Every time the government grants ownership under its land-reform programme, scandals over the abuse of land titles seem to follow.

Last year, news broke of a large area at Suan Pung being turned into luxury resort despite the fact that the land title deed was supposed to be given to farmers for farming. The news made headlines for roughly a week, and then it disappeared. Nevertheless, Suan Pung is still being exploited.

As for the controversy in Saraburi and Nakhon Ratchsima, the authorities have reportedly given the violators a couple of months to dismantle their properties. The public will be watching to see whether that deadline is met.

Guarding against forest encroachment is not the sole responsibility of any individual. Instead, we have to share the responsibility to protect our resources together. It would be doubly sad if society turns a blind eye to this encroachment given that only recently, we lost soldiers whose helicopter crashed while they were on a noble mission to save the forest area in Kaeng Krachan National Park.

The sacrifices of these men should be a reminder that our National Parks belong to us all and that the national attempt to achieve land reform for the wellbeing of the majority of Thais must not be exploited.

-- The Nation 2011-07-29

[dcutman]

Once you cut down all the tree's grade the land and start building. Is it not to late to save it? I know you can evict everybody, but the damage is done.

My question is, where the hell is all the people that care at? I have not seen any of these builing sites, but they dont sound small. Again where the hell is everybody at? You mean to tell me that no official of any rank does not drive through a national park at least 3 or 4 times a year?

Simply amazing Thailand.

Edited July 29, 2011 by dcutman

[Ricardo]

Once you cut down all the tree's grade the land and start building. Is it not to late to save it? I know you can evict everybody, but the damage is done.

By evicting the encroaching people, and making them pay to remove the buildings & restore the land to some degree, you're imposing a financial penalty on at-least some of the people who've broken or bent the law, albeit the end-occupiers rather than the original malefactors.

Nevertheless it is also true to say that Thailand's land-laws are a mess, the management of the Forestry-Department is questionable, and the desired-result of protecting the fauna/flora/eco-systems of important natural-areas is not being achieved. Time to roust out corruption, and reform the whole system, if that's possible.

Perhaps time to bring back the British/Thai logging-companies, thrown-out in the late-1940s, and ensure that logged-areas are properly replanted, then plough the revenues/royalties into funding the National-Parks administrations properly ?

[Bkkorupcountry]

It is a mystery as to why so many resorts have mushroomed in the forest reserves over the past few years under the noses of officials. After all, the construction of these luxury properties would have required many rounds of transportation and gangs of construction workers commuting into the area.

Amazing that the invisible hand of Thaksin could still achieve this under the nose of the Dem Govt because obviously, the Dem's don't indulge in corrupt practices as many posters would have us believe.

[Thai at Heart]

I wonder how long until they say it was done by foreigners.

Who was it who said that 30% of the prime real estate in Phuket was owned by foreigners?

[JurgenG]

What is this country that tell people what they should do with their land ? North Korea ?

Most of these lands have reclaimed from the forest long ago. Farming there is not sustainable there. Do you know of any rich farmer from there ? Then they found a sustainable way to develop their area : eco tourism. Have a look at the brochures from these area if you want a confirmation.

In the articles, they always talk about this politician or this high ranking officer who owns a big house there. In Wang Nam Khieo, they served notice to 8 resorts. If my memory serves me well, altogether there should be something like 700 resorts and homestay in the area, most of them owned by local people. It really makes me laugh when the Nation said they visited the area following complains from local village leaders. They are the people who benefits the most from the situation. Actually they organize meeting after meeting to discuss how to lobby the government to stop the action from the forest department

The truth is it doesn't suit the Bangkok elite that the farmers can get rich, it's against the natural order and The Nation has always been the mouthpiece of the "have" against the "have not".

Draw your own conclusions ...

Edited July 29, 2011 by JurgenG

[whybother]

What is this country that tell people what they should do with their land ? North Korea ?

Most of these lands have reclaimed from the forest long ago. Farming there is not sustainable there. Do you know of any rich farmer from there ? Then they found a sustainable way to develop their area : eco tourism. Have a look at the brochures from these area if you want a confirmation.

In the articles, they always talk about this politician or this high ranking officer who owns a big house there. In Wang Nam Khieo, they served notice to 8 resorts. If my memory serves me well, altogether there should be something like 700 resorts and homestay in the area, most of them owned by local people. It really makes me laugh when the Nation said they visited the area following complains from local village leaders. They are the people who benefits the most from the situation. Actually they organize meeting after meeting to discuss how to lobby the government to stop the action from the forest department

The truth is it doesn't suit the Bangkok elite that the farmers can get rich, it's against the natural order and The Nation has always been the mouthpiece of the "have" against the "have not".

Draw your own conclusions ...

What has this got to do with the farmers? The land isn't being used by the farmers. It's being used by the rich so that they can build their own houses and other resorts. There are plenty of resorts in the area, but they are not on department (the peoples) land.

In nearly every country, people are not simply allowed to encroach on government land, particularly national parks.

[thequietman]

how can you protect the national parks when the very people who are supposed to be protecting them have stolen the land themselves and built their home on it.

[toybits]

I believe there are instances when the public or whistle blower should be allowed to name and shame people who have crossed the line. This is one of them. The violators should be crucified. Twice if they are found to be public officials who are supposed to be protecting the public and the resources of the Kingdom of Thailand. They are a disgrace to the ruler of the land.

Eviction and removing the illegally built structures will not be enough. They betrayed the public's trust. How can you put a value on that?

Edited July 29, 2011 by toybits

[JurgenG]

What is this country that tell people what they should do with their land ? North Korea ?

Most of these lands have reclaimed from the forest long ago. Farming there is not sustainable there. Do you know of any rich farmer from there ? Then they found a sustainable way to develop their area : eco tourism. Have a look at the brochures from these area if you want a confirmation.

In the articles, they always talk about this politician or this high ranking officer who owns a big house there. In Wang Nam Khieo, they served notice to 8 resorts. If my memory serves me well, altogether there should be something like 700 resorts and homestay in the area, most of them owned by local people. It really makes me laugh when the Nation said they visited the area following complains from local village leaders. They are the people who benefits the most from the situation. Actually they organize meeting after meeting to discuss how to lobby the government to stop the action from the forest department

The truth is it doesn't suit the Bangkok elite that the farmers can get rich, it's against the natural order and The Nation has always been the mouthpiece of the "have" against the "have not".

Draw your own conclusions ...

What has this got to do with the farmers? The land isn't being used by the farmers. It's being used by the rich so that they can build their own houses and other resorts. There are plenty of resorts in the area, but they are not on department (the peoples) land.

In nearly every country, people are not simply allowed to encroach on government land, particularly national parks.

The problem is all the lands technically belong to the National Parks, the forest land but also the land that have been cleared long ago and given to farmers. And therefore they are administered without distinction by the Forest Department. You can argue with that in court, some did, but not very successfully so far.

The problem is the Forest Department uses a few cases of forest encroachment to harass the farmers that are using the land for an other purpose than farming. The action of the farmers are technically not legal but they have no other way to get out of poverty. And it works. Everybody in the area is better off.

Nobody argue with the fact that the houses and resorts that have been built on forest ground should be demolished. People from these areas just asked that the government understand that the times have changed and that these land land can bef better use than farming. The government has the means to upgrade the land titles. That would make completely sense and solve the situation. That will probably happen in the near future.

But it seems some people are decided to not let it happen so easily ...

[rubl]

begin removed ...

In the articles, they always talk about this politician or this high ranking officer who owns a big house there. In Wang Nam Khieo, they served notice to 8 resorts. If my memory serves me well, altogether there should be something like 700 resorts and homestay in the area, most of them owned by local people. It really makes me laugh when the Nation said they visited the area following complains from local village leaders. They are the people who benefits the most from the situation. Actually they organize meeting after meeting to discuss how to lobby the government to stop the action from the forest department

... end removed

There's nothing in the OP to suggest that farmers are getting rich on these resorts, or even own them. There is a suggestion that either rich insiders or outsiders profit and farmers are worried about lack of forest and other problems which will follow (like flooding, land erosion).

If you have information that farmers do own most of these illegal resorts, please share with us

[hammered]

Whats with the story in the Nation about the actor and filmcrew in a national park being charged with being in a "sensitive" area?

[whybother]

The problem is all the lands technically belong to the National Parks, the forest land but also the land that have been cleared long ago and given to farmers. And therefore they are administered without distinction by the Forest Department. You can argue with that in court, some did, but not very successfully so far.

The problem is the Forest Department uses a few cases of forest encroachment to harass the farmers that are using the land for an other purpose than farming. The action of the farmers are technically not legal but they have no other way to get out of poverty. And it works. Everybody in the area is better off.

Nobody argue with the fact that the houses and resorts that have been built on forest ground should be demolished. People from these areas just asked that the government understand that the times have changed and that these land land can bef better use than farming. The government has the means to upgrade the land titles. That would make completely sense and solve the situation. That will probably happen in the near future.

But it seems some people are decided to not let it happen so easily ...

No. All land DOESN'T belong to the national parks. If it's been given to the farmers, then it belongs to the farmers.

What you are referring to is land that doesn't belong to the farmers being cleared by them illegally, and then the farmers trying to get possession of that land.

The problem is that the forest department is selective on who it goes after. They should be going after every single person that encroaches on government land.

[Thai at Heart]

Whats with the story in the Nation about the actor and filmcrew in a national park being charged with being in a "sensitive" area?

If it is a wildlife sanctuary, what could be sensitive. Indeed a bizarre story. If the point of the national park is to protect it for the benefit of the country/people, what is the point if no-one can go there. Things like this never cease to amaze me such as

Her office thus decided to seek police action. "If the programme about Phu Khing is aired, all officials of the Phu Khieu wildlife sanctuary and the National Park director general would face serious disciplinary punishment," she said.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/07/29/national/Actor-in-hot-water-over-filming-in-prohibited-area-30161461.html

It is a serious disciplinary action to not prevent people filming in a national park???????? I think some smart witted journalist should ask a very simple question about

Maybe, Elvis lives there.

[hammered]

Whats with the story in the Nation about the actor and filmcrew in a national park being charged with being in a "sensitive" area?

If it is a wildlife sanctuary, what could be sensitive. Indeed a bizarre story. If the point of the national park is to protect it for the benefit of the country/people, what is the point if no-one can go there. Things like this never cease to amaze me such as

Her office thus decided to seek police action. "If the programme about Phu Khing is aired, all officials of the Phu Khieu wildlife sanctuary and the National Park director general would face serious disciplinary punishment," she said.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/07/29/national/Actor-in-hot-water-over-filming-in-prohibited-area-30161461.html

It is a serious disciplinary action to not prevent people filming in a national park???????? I think some smart witted journalist should ask a very simple question about

Maybe, Elvis lives there.

There must be something we arent seeing or arent being told.

[Thai at Heart]

Whats with the story in the Nation about the actor and filmcrew in a national park being charged with being in a "sensitive" area?

If it is a wildlife sanctuary, what could be sensitive. Indeed a bizarre story. If the point of the national park is to protect it for the benefit of the country/people, what is the point if no-one can go there. Things like this never cease to amaze me such as

Her office thus decided to seek police action. "If the programme about Phu Khing is aired, all officials of the Phu Khieu wildlife sanctuary and the National Park director general would face serious disciplinary punishment," she said.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/07/29/national/Actor-in-hot-water-over-filming-in-prohibited-area-30161461.html

It is a serious disciplinary action to not prevent people filming in a national park???????? I think some smart witted journalist should ask a very simple question about

Maybe, Elvis lives there.

There must be something we arent seeing or arent being told.

Well we should start a poll.......

I go with Thailand's Secret Moon Rocket than never was after the engineer dropped his cigarette into the pesticide mix causing much national embarrassment.

[MegaRanter]

Send in the PAD, they are good at rabble rousing with anything concerning national territories.

[Thai at Heart]

Send in the PAD, they are good at rabble rousing with anything concerning national territories.

A few of their members are probably owners. After all a certain coup leader seemed quite partial to a bit of land up in that part of the world. I don't begrudge Bangkokians the right to have some fresh air, just that they should pay for the market price for their land just like everyone else should.

[Orac]

Whats with the story in the Nation about the actor and filmcrew in a national park being charged with being in a "sensitive" area?

If it is a wildlife sanctuary, what could be sensitive. Indeed a bizarre story. If the point of the national park is to protect it for the benefit of the country/people, what is the point if no-one can go there. Things like this never cease to amaze me such as

Her office thus decided to seek police action. "If the programme about Phu Khing is aired, all officials of the Phu Khieu wildlife sanctuary and the National Park director general would face serious disciplinary punishment," she said.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/07/29/national/Actor-in-hot-water-over-filming-in-prohibited-area-30161461.html

It is a serious disciplinary action to not prevent people filming in a national park???????? I think some smart witted journalist should ask a very simple question about

Maybe, Elvis lives there.

Maybe there are some endangered animals in they are trying to protect??? With the amount of poaching and trading in endangered species that goes on in Thailand the last thing any true conservationist would want is a tv show telling everyone where to go.

[hammered]

There must be something we arent seeing or arent being told.

Well we should start a poll.......

I go with Thailand's Secret Moon Rocket than never was after the engineer dropped his cigarette into the pesticide mix causing much national embarrassment.

Maybe its Thaksins secret hangout with Arisaman playing the role of butler

[Thai at Heart]

Whats with the story in the Nation about the actor and filmcrew in a national park being charged with being in a "sensitive" area?

If it is a wildlife sanctuary, what could be sensitive. Indeed a bizarre story. If the point of the national park is to protect it for the benefit of the country/people, what is the point if no-one can go there. Things like this never cease to amaze me such as

Her office thus decided to seek police action. "If the programme about Phu Khing is aired, all officials of the Phu Khieu wildlife sanctuary and the National Park director general would face serious disciplinary punishment," she said.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/07/29/national/Actor-in-hot-water-over-filming-in-prohibited-area-30161461.html

It is a serious disciplinary action to not prevent people filming in a national park???????? I think some smart witted journalist should ask a very simple question about

Maybe, Elvis lives there.

Maybe there are some endangered animals in they are trying to protect??? With the amount of poaching and trading in endangered species that goes on in Thailand the last thing any true conservationist would want is a tv show telling everyone where to go.

I somehow think that wouldn't represent a severe disciplinary hearing. As though poachers would need a TV program to tell them where to get hold of endangered animals in Thailand. They can probably call the forest service directly and find out for a fee, or buy them in Chatuchak.

What have they got in there? Wooly mammoths or some alien predator that they have been keeping secret from the world for the last 100 years???

[Orac]

Maybe there are some endangered animals in they are trying to protect??? With the amount of poaching and trading in endangered species that goes on in Thailand the last thing any true conservationist would want is a tv show telling everyone where to go.

I somehow think that wouldn't represent a severe disciplinary hearing. As though poachers would need a TV program to tell them where to get hold of endangered animals in Thailand. They can probably call the forest service directly and find out for a fee, or buy them in Chatuchak.

What have they got in there? Wooly mammoths or some alien predator that they have been keeping secret from the world for the last 100 years???

There was a recent thread on TV about the rise in the tiger population in Thai national parks:

your own comments in post 3 also implied that publicity of such wasn't always a good thing.

[rubl]

Send in the PAD, they are good at rabble rousing with anything concerning national territories.

A few of their members are probably owners. After all a certain coup leader seemed quite partial to a bit of land up in that part of the world. I don't begrudge Bangkokians the right to have some fresh air, just that they should pay for the market price for their land just like everyone else should.

Gen. Surayut had a holiday home in that area if I remember correctly. Interesting scheme with land title deeds. Anyway after some protests, home demolished, land returned. Don't know if PAD leaders have land there, at the time protesters only targeted k. Surayut. May be there's one of those red schools of the Dr. weng type. We can't have PAD's near it, now can we ?

[ginjag]

Maybe there are some endangered animals in they are trying to protect??? With the amount of poaching and trading in endangered species that goes on in Thailand the last thing any true conservationist would want is a tv show telling everyone where to go.

I somehow think that wouldn't represent a severe disciplinary hearing. As though poachers would need a TV program to tell them where to get hold of endangered animals in Thailand. They can probably call the forest service directly and find out for a fee, or buy them in Chatuchak.

What have they got in there? Wooly mammoths or some alien predator that they have been keeping secret from the world for the last 100 years???

There was a recent thread on TV about the rise in the tiger population in Thai national parks:

http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__4430982

your own comments in post 3 also implied that publicity of such wasn't always a good thing.

I read that and I don't believe it, there are more tigers in Sri-Racha than in the parks, maybe some escaped and made their way there???? Why not take half of them and set them free. NO--it's zoo money.

[JurgenG]

The problem is all the lands technically belong to the National Parks, the forest land but also the land that have been cleared long ago and given to farmers. And therefore they are administered without distinction by the Forest Department. You can argue with that in court, some did, but not very successfully so far.

The problem is the Forest Department uses a few cases of forest encroachment to harass the farmers that are using the land for an other purpose than farming. The action of the farmers are technically not legal but they have no other way to get out of poverty. And it works. Everybody in the area is better off.

Nobody argue with the fact that the houses and resorts that have been built on forest ground should be demolished. People from these areas just asked that the government understand that the times have changed and that these land land can bef better use than farming. The government has the means to upgrade the land titles. That would make completely sense and solve the situation. That will probably happen in the near future.

But it seems some people are decided to not let it happen so easily ...

No. All land DOESN'T belong to the national parks. If it's been given to the farmers, then it belongs to the farmers.

What you are referring to is land that doesn't belong to the farmers being cleared by them illegally, and then the farmers trying to get possession of that land.

The problem is that the forest department is selective on who it goes after. They should be going after every single person that encroaches on government land.

The land titles in those areas are either Por Bor Tor or Sor Por Kor

Some believe they are full owner, while they only have possessory rights. A land with a possessory right has never been substantiated by Department, but is only recognized by tax payments at the Local Administrative Office. It means that a person is the "possessor", pays taxes, but the real owner is the government. Slowly, the government is changing these old title deeds into Chanotte..or Nor Sor Sam, where the owner of the land is the REAL owner, and the land is clearly delimitated. On possessory rights, you can't register rights like usufruct or a lease. Also you can't get a building permit but it's very common for Thai people to build houses on these Title Deeds without any building permits. Examples of possessory rights are Por Bor Tor or Sor Kor. A land with this type of Title Deed will have much lesser value than a land with a Nor Sor Sam or Chanotte.

http://www.thailawon...n-thailand.html

If people who post in the "news" forum were asked first to pass a simple test proving they know some basic facts about Thailand, I've the feeling this forum would lost most of their prolific posters

Edited July 29, 2011 by JurgenG

[whybother]

No. All land DOESN'T belong to the national parks. If it's been given to the farmers, then it belongs to the farmers.

What you are referring to is land that doesn't belong to the farmers being cleared by them illegally, and then the farmers trying to get possession of that land.

The problem is that the forest department is selective on who it goes after. They should be going after every single person that encroaches on government land.

http://www.thailawon...n-thailand.html

But this isn't about farmers that have semi-ownership papers. This is about people who have taken over land illegally and built resorts.

[Thai at Heart]

Maybe there are some endangered animals in they are trying to protect??? With the amount of poaching and trading in endangered species that goes on in Thailand the last thing any true conservationist would want is a tv show telling everyone where to go.

I somehow think that wouldn't represent a severe disciplinary hearing. As though poachers would need a TV program to tell them where to get hold of endangered animals in Thailand. They can probably call the forest service directly and find out for a fee, or buy them in Chatuchak.

What have they got in there? Wooly mammoths or some alien predator that they have been keeping secret from the world for the last 100 years???

There was a recent thread on TV about the rise in the tiger population in Thai national parks:

your own comments in post 3 also implied that publicity of such wasn't always a good thing.

There is a world of difference between filming endangered species and claiming that filming in an area is "sensitive".

If the supposedly endangered animals are so prolific in an area that a TV crew can inadvertantly film them the odds would be that they aren't particularly endangered anymore.

[pauljones]

Thai Politicians, Police and VIPs are so out of touch that they think that raping the land & owning a home in the National Park is a status symbol.

Their homes are probably decorated with Tiger Skin rugs, carved elephant tusks and looted statues from historic temples.....

Edited July 30, 2011 by pauljones