Encroachment At Khao Yai National Park

[webfact]

Encroachment at Khao Yai National Park also, chief says

By The Nation

Parks officials are tracking investors accused of encroaching on 400 rai of forestland at Khao Yai National Park in Prachin Buri and Nakhon Nayok.

A comparison of aerial photos of a 200-rai area from nine years ago and presently showed it was fertile forestland in 2002 before being turned to farms and homes now occupied by 22 people, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation chief Sunan Arunnopparat said yesterday.

However, Khao Yai officials had been unable to contact any of the land users in the area yet, so they would wait to get them to face the legal action. If no one claimed ownership of the land in question soon, forestry officials were legally allowed to destroy crops and buildings there, he said, adding that there should be some progress in less than a month.

A source at the ministry said the 22 plots allegedly encroach on forestland on a route to Than Thip waterfall in Prachin Buri's Prachantakham district. People were issued of title deeds by "manipulation" in 2007.

Later a provincial committee set up in March 2008 found the farms and homes illegal and the authorities were in a process of revoking the illegally-issued title deeds, as according to article 61 of the land use code.

While villagers' names were on the 22 plots, there was talk that a Prachin Buri politician was behind the move with a plan to build a resort, as the land had a beautiful view, the source said.

The source said another part of the national park encroached on was by Khao Yai Conservation Unit 4 in Khlong Plakang. Some 200 rai had been divided into six plots. The department had already arrested the alleged encroachers, who were villagers who then filed a suit with the Administrative Court. The source said some officials were threatened with abduction if they continued legal actions against encroachers.

-- The Nation 2011-08-02

[happyjune]

The homes and resorts in Korat, where they built on a National Park as well?

[OzMick]

There seems to be a large increase in the public naming and shaming of National Park land encroachers by the relevant department. Good for them, hopefully it will stir real action, with land returned to its proper use and phoney deeds revoked.

I have to wonder if the current lack of appointed MPs has something to do with the increase, and whether things will be much quieter in the near future.

[AleG]

There seems to be a large increase in the public naming and shaming of National Park land encroachers by the relevant department. Good for them, hopefully it will stir real action, with land returned to its proper use and phoney deeds revoked.

I have to wonder if the current lack of appointed MPs has something to do with the increase, and whether things will be much quieter in the near future.

You mean that when no one is watching them they can do the right thing?

I can buy that...

[toybits]

This has been happening since forever. Twenty years ago during my first visit to a place on the foothills of Khao Yai NP, I had already been hearing stories about villagers selling land to "investors" from Bangkok. Then they do this little dance routine and everthing is quiet again - until a new RFD officer is reassigned to the area and revives the issue. They go through this dance routine once more and everything becomes quiet again. SAME SAME.

[toybits]

One of the local guides even said that some BIG NAME musicians like one who called a "not-real water loving animal" had illegally purchased land there.

[Deeral]

Encroachment is not reserved just for Khao Yai - it is the norm in almost all national parks - those with money can "persuade" govt officials to turn a blind eye anywhere they want.

e.g. Koh Chang, Koh Samui, all National parks.

So long as this kind of inappropriate, unregulated development is allowed to infringe on the countries natural resources, Thailand is systematically shitting in it;'s own nest

[JurgenG]

This has been happening since forever. Twenty years ago during my first visit to a place on the foothills of Khao Yai NP, I had already been hearing stories about villagers selling land to "investors" from Bangkok. Then they do this little dance routine and everthing is quiet again - until a new RFD officer is reassigned to the area and revives the issue. They go through this dance routine once more and everything becomes quiet again. SAME SAME.

I can confirm that but this time the scale of the crackdown is unprecedented.

But I still want to insist that one problem should not hide an other one.

On the one hand there are influential people who illegally built resorts and houses on forest land with the help of corrupt forest officials. They are the big names who make the front pages of the newspaper. Everybody agree that it has to stop as it is detrimental to everybody

On the other hand, you have hundreds of farmers who exploit lands that has been cleared long ago who are denied the right to freely use their land for the business of their choice. Everybody there is expecting that the government will sometime in the future upgrade the land titles to full chanote as it is the normal procedure everywhere in Thailand. What is happening now is a big blow for the development of rural tourism in Thailand. Rural, green ecological tourism is probably the best chance to lift Isan out of poverty.

I just hope that the coming administration will solve once and for all this outdated system of land titles.

Edited August 2, 2011 by JurgenG

[tomross46]

Politiciand and rich people from Bangkok, do not only take forest land they also take temple land. Some of you might remember Alpine golf club and housing resort in Pathumtani.

[happyjune]

So it is only National parks then. Not hills that are not National Parks ?

[toybits]

Many of these poor people are also opportunists albeit at a much smaller scale compared to police generals, politicians and big name musicians. Rural tourism can still happen - EVEN without forest encroachment.

If all of the land encroached by these poor people were converted from Sor Por Kor to Nor Sor 3 Kor or Chanode, there would be no forest land left to speak off.

On the other hand, you have hundreds of farmers who exploit lands that has been cleared long ago who are denied the right to freely use their land for the business of their choice. Everybody there is expecting that the government will sometime in the future upgrade the land titles to full chanote as it is the normal procedure everywhere in Thailand. What is happening now is a big blow for the development of rural tourism in Thailand. Rural, green ecological tourism is probably the best chance to lift Isan out of poverty.

I just hope that the coming administration will solve once and for all this outdated system of land titles.

[whybother]

Politiciand and rich people from Bangkok, do not only take forest land they also take temple land. Some of you might remember Alpine golf club and housing resort in Pathumtani.

Yes ... those politicians and rich elite from Bangkok don't care about the little people and would take all the land if they could. ...

[OzMick]

This has been happening since forever. Twenty years ago during my first visit to a place on the foothills of Khao Yai NP, I had already been hearing stories about villagers selling land to "investors" from Bangkok. Then they do this little dance routine and everthing is quiet again - until a new RFD officer is reassigned to the area and revives the issue. They go through this dance routine once more and everything becomes quiet again. SAME SAME.

I can confirm that but this time the scale of the crackdown is unprecedented.

But I still want to insist that one problem should not hide an other one.

On the one hand there are influential people who illegally built resorts and houses on forest land with the help of corrupt forest officials. They are the big names who make the front pages of the newspaper. Everybody agree that it has to stop as it is detrimental to everybody

On the other hand, you have hundreds of farmers who exploit lands that has been cleared long ago who are denied the right to freely use their land for the business of their choice. Everybody there is expecting that the government will sometime in the future upgrade the land titles to full chanote as it is the normal procedure everywhere in Thailand. What is happening now is a big blow for the development of rural tourism in Thailand. Rural, green ecological tourism is probably the best chance to lift Isan out of poverty.

I just hope that the coming administration will solve once and for all this outdated system of land titles.

Do you not understand the concept of a buffer zone? It is no use having a national Park abutting a resort, homes or a disco - the lights, loud noises, smells and pet dogs will scare away nocturnal animals. If you have an agricultural zone where human presence and activity is relatively low, there will not be the same effect on the actual parkland.

To that end, agriculture-only leases were issued. Yes, the farmer's can make more money selling the lease to resort, but it will defeat the purpose of the buffer. If sufficient earnings can't be made from farming the land, hand the lease back and let someone else have a go.

[longtom]

Do you not understand the concept of a buffer zone? It is no use having a national Park abutting a resort, homes or a disco - the lights, loud noises, smells and pet dogs will scare away nocturnal animals. If you have an agricultural zone where human presence and activity is relatively low, there will not be the same effect on the actual parkland.

To that end, agriculture-only leases were issued. Yes, the farmer's can make more money selling the lease to resort, but it will defeat the purpose of the buffer. If sufficient earnings can't be made from farming the land, hand the lease back and let someone else have a go.

Excellent argument :jap:

[Tanaka]

This has been happening since forever. Twenty years ago during my first visit to a place on the foothills of Khao Yai NP, I had already been hearing stories about villagers selling land to "investors" from Bangkok. Then they do this little dance routine and everthing is quiet again - until a new RFD officer is reassigned to the area and revives the issue. They go through this dance routine once more and everything becomes quiet again. SAME SAME.

How could they "sell land" to investors when they did not own the land? The farmers had the right to farm and use the land but they were/are not the owner and cannot legally binding sell it.

[moe666]

And pray tell who will set up these green tourism sites. Unfortunately when you add green to anything that word seems to increase the cost to all envolved 150 percent. There is already a good tourism program at Khai Yai they allow guides to take groups of people around the park for the day and when you leave you take all of your stuff with you. These on going encroachments are just a slow whittling away of the national forest land 1rai at a time.

[JurgenG]

This has been happening since forever. Twenty years ago during my first visit to a place on the foothills of Khao Yai NP, I had already been hearing stories about villagers selling land to "investors" from Bangkok. Then they do this little dance routine and everthing is quiet again - until a new RFD officer is reassigned to the area and revives the issue. They go through this dance routine once more and everything becomes quiet again. SAME SAME.

How could they "sell land" to investors when they did not own the land? The farmers had the right to farm and use the land but they were/are not the owner and cannot legally binding sell it.

There are mainly two kind of titles in rural areas :

- Sor Por Kor : Land reserved for farming, cannot be sold only transmit to heirs

- Por Bor Tor : Land can be sold but should be used for farming.

Now there are additional problem. First the Forest Department contest the validity and the rights attached to some titles. Then some lands are under the authority of the Land Reform Office, the Forest Department contest that and wants these lands under its authority. (articles today in The Nation and the "other" newspaper, I'll let Webfact sort out what can be published and what can't )

The facts are Wang Nam Khieo is a cash cow. We have a repeat to what happened with Don Muang : a government department who doesn't want to lose the control (read revenue) of a cash cow with high development potential, whatever the human, social or economical cost. Like during the coup, this department takes advantage of the political transition period to assert its position.

We shouldn't be fooled by "big names", the current situation was allowed to happen because a number of officials at all levels didn't do their job properly, for a number of reasons that should be explained. If we are looking to punish the people responsible for the forest encroachment, before going after local villagers who are only trying to fight their way out of poverty, the Forest Department should conduct a thorough cleaning within its own ranks. If we leave the foxes in charge of the henhouse, the improvements (if any) won't last very long.

What the new government should do is reform the land titles to allow locals to develop their business free of harassment and go ahead with a crackdown in the forest department to make sure that the people who allowed the "big names" to encroach on forest land be punished. The Forest Department should also be reminded that it's role is to protect the wild life, not to interfere with the economical development of the region.

Edited August 3, 2011 by JurgenG

[webfact]

related topic:

More resorts, homes found in Thai forest reserves

Follow this link:

[toybits]

A Forestry Department Officer and a Tour Company Manager whom I know were telling me how disgusted they were with some monks who would just occupy a hill, claim it and build a temple there. I know of one at Pha Taem National Park on a promontory overlooking the Mekong River. Talk about cheeky.

Politiciand and rich people from Bangkok, do not only take forest land they also take temple land. Some of you might remember Alpine golf club and housing resort in Pathumtani.