More Resorts, Homes Found In Thai Forest Reserves

[webfact]

ENVIRONMENT

More resorts, homes found in forest reserves

By PONGPHON SARNSAMAK

THE NATION

The Royal Forest Department (RFD) has discovered another 17 resorts and private houses built on forest reserves in Nakhon Ratchasima province's Wang Nam Kheow district.

It plans to apply for search warrants to investigate the buildings and has promised immediate legal action against the encroachers.

The discovery follows an investigation by RFD officials, ordered after the recent disclosure that about 22 big houses and resorts, on sloped areas in the nearby Phu Luang National Forest, are in apparent violation of the Forest Reserve Act.

Meanwhile, meetings of local people in Wang Nam Kheow district have threatened to rally at the RFD's local office if the department does not stop "strictly enforcing the law" and failing to listen to local opinion.

The RFD said yesterday that the 17 resorts and private homes in Wang Nam Kheow district would be the subject of immediate legal action and no-entry orders because they were in forest reserved areas.

"An investigation conducted by forestry officials found these resorts and private homes illegally built on land acquired in the restricted Wang Nam Kheow forest reserve," said RFD director-general Suwit Rattanamanee. The buildings are in zone C forest reserves, in which individuals are not allowed to erect any structures unless a Cabinet regulation allows them to do so, he said.

RFD officials will meet with the Nakhon Ratchasima provincial governor and officials tomorrow in an attempt to resolve the land-encroachment problem and decide on action against 22 developers who illegally built structures in the Phu Luang Forest Reserve. The meeting will chaired by the Second Army Region commander and joined by provincial land department officials and related agencies.

The RFD will apply for search warrants on Friday to allow police and forestry officials to investigate buildings erected illegally in forest reserves, Suwit said. He admitted that his agency had faced difficulties in enforcing the law and charging wrongdoers with breaches of the law because officials do not understand his department's responsibility to take forestland back from invaders.

Some cases might take 10 years or more for the courts to reach a final verdict on whether invaders should be allowed to continue using the properties or ejected from the reserved land on which they have encroached, he said.

"We expect our mission at Wang Nam Kheow to be a model for other areas across country, in which we will strictly enforce the law and charge wrongdoers," Suwit said.

Meanwhile, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) has decided to step in to help stop demonstrations by locals. Led by village headmen in Wang Nam Kheow, people organised a protest yesterday that blocked main Highway 304 between Prachin Buri province's Kabin Buri district and Nakhon Ratchasima province.

DNP director-general Sunant Arunnoppharat said he would explain to local representatives why the DNP was moving to arrest people who had encroached on Thap Lan National Park. He said local residents would be protected by law if they lived in Wang Nam Kheow district before the areas were designated as conservation reserves by a Cabinet resolution on June 30, 1998.

The RFD also announced yesterday that it planned to ask for the return of more than 150,000 rai (24,000 hectares) of degraded forestland in Wang Nam Kheow district, after the failure of the Land Reform Department to distribute it to landless farmers.

-- The Nation 2011-08-03

[webfact]

Locals upset over crackdown on encroachment

By PRASIT TANGPRASERT,

KASEM CHANATHINART

THE NATION

Nakhon Ratchasima

There have been two meetings of residents in Nakhon Ratchasima's Wang Nam Kheow district aimed at pressuring state agencies to find compromise solutions to alleged forest land encroachment and local abuse of sor por kor 4-01 land reform certificates.

Wang Nam Kheow superintendent Pol Colonel Kitti Kongsaengsri said that about 200 residents, resort operators, representatives of non-governmental organisations and academics met at the district office to find possible solutions to the problems.

They agreed that the Royal Forestry Department (RFD) and related agencies should avoid strictly enforcing the law and listen to the opinions of local people, so that together, they could find solutions, he said.

Provincial Administrative Organisation deputy president Noppadol Niamsungnoen urged the RFD to stop creating the impression that Wang Nam Kheow people had encroached on forest land to build resorts, steal the habitat of wild bulls and cause river flooding because it created misunderstanding among tourists, who then stopped visiting.

If RFD wouldn't stop it, he said, thousands of residents would rally to the department's office.

Regarding the threat of authorities revoking the rights of sor por kor 4-01 recipients who haven't used their plots according to the conditions of their certificates, he said the public sector must understand that monoculture farming didn't feed families well. Hence, many turned their properties into homestays or resorts while maintaining orchards or farms, to achieve better incomes.

The long-standing problem came from administration and unclear territorial boundaries between national parks and residents' farmlands, Noppadol said. There should be an inspection and demarcation of problematic lands with participation of all sides and joint discussions to find solutions.

Another meeting, involving about 200 affected residents from Wang Nam Kheow's Tambons Wang Mee and Thai Samakkhee, was held at district market.

-- The Nation 2011-08-03

[renaissanc]

People are just so used to breaking the law that when it is enforced, they say, "But this is unfair. Can we reach a compromise? ... Where's my wallet?"

[lovetotravel]

I love this part:

stop "strictly enforcing the law"

This encroachment goes on all over Thailand. It would be nice to see them stop it...but it's going to be hard now.

[hkt83100]

The behavior of these "Locals" is ridiculous. They know they are breaking the law, and now they start complaining and crying, when the law is enforced. There should be no 10-years period until the courts find a solution, just implement the law, make them responsible for what they did and make them restore the previous condition. It is easy as that.

[JurgenG]

People are just so used to breaking the law that when it is enforced, they say, "But this is unfair. Can we reach a compromise? ... Where's my wallet?"

Everywhere in the world laws are changed to reflect the evolution of the society.

Sor Por Kor land title was created to provide a way to survive to landless people . Survive, nothing more. This is not acceptable anymore in the 21st century.

Thailand is moving forward, people should get used to it.

Honestly, people nostalgic to a "certain way of life" should consider moving to Burma, an alternate universe where Newin won.

[geriatrickid]

Demolish the homes and recycle the building materials to provide low cost housing to the poor. Deals with 2 problems. These people no doubt claim loyalty and love of Thailand. their King. Hhere these encroachers come, engaged in what is basically an act of theft against the people of Thailand, and the destruction of an important sacred buffer against deforestation and the resultant flooding and landslides.

[OzMick]

We don't like this law (that we are breaking) so you shouldn't enforce it. And stop pointing out that we are breaking the law, it's scaring away the tourists. LOS, land of scams, love it or leave it!

[bushwacker]

10 Years, you have to be kidding. What a joke!

Laws in Thailand are there just in case someday, someone needs a way to force somebody else to do something. Otherwise the law are just ignored by pretty much everyone. You see it many many times every single day. The only law that seems to be respect is the Law of who do you know.

:jap:

[ginjag]

We don't like this law (that we are breaking) so you shouldn't enforce it. And stop pointing out that we are breaking the law, it's scaring away the tourists. LOS, land of scams, love it or leave it!

Did it say it may take 10 years to get them out, JOKE, If it was me they would remove me -day one Ha Ha .

But thinking about it I think it may be worth me going and building, live for 10 years in a beautiful area before being removed.

It must be easy for anyone to sneak some bags of cement and sand etc and build with no one knowing--LIKE forest rangers-police-government officers-workers on site-trees removed-heavy lorries and earthmoving machines = This is not a small concealed property--these are resorts.

The whole area forest security and local government should get instant dismissal .

[Phuket Stan]

You must also remember which way the political wind is blowing.

[Crushdepth]

The Royal Forest Department (RFD) has discovered another 17 resorts and private houses built on forest reserves in Nakhon Ratchasima province's Wang Nam Kheow district.

"Discovered" ??

[OzMick]

People are just so used to breaking the law that when it is enforced, they say, "But this is unfair. Can we reach a compromise? ... Where's my wallet?"

Everywhere in the world laws are changed to reflect the evolution of the society.

Sor Por Kor land title was created to provide a way to survive to landless people . Survive, nothing more. This is not acceptable anymore in the 21st century.

nvested in

Thailand is moving forward, people should get used to it.

Honestly, people nostalgic to a "certain way of life" should consider moving to Burma, an alternate universe where Newin won.

Is Thai society evolving to the extent that National Parks will become an historical curiosity?

You are right, in the 21st century scratching out a survival by subsistence farming is no longer acceptable - people move into town and get a job. B300/day, whoopee!

Your repeated defence of the seemingly indefensible leads me to think that you may be in possession of a dodgy deed, or have invested in a nice little hill resort, or perhaps a couple of cute little cottages on the farm. Don't worry - the new PTP Minister will be appointed soon, and I'm sure he will be amenable to an equitable solution (ie one where he gets some equity).

[Galong]

Here's how politicians with real ballz treat rich people who think that they are above the law

[Thaddeus]

The Royal Forest Department (RFD) has discovered another 17 resorts and private houses built on forest reserves in Nakhon Ratchasima province's Wang Nam Kheow district.

"Discovered" ??

And who built them?

The Resort Fairy.

[JurgenG]

We don't like this law (that we are breaking) so you shouldn't enforce it. And stop pointing out that we are breaking the law, it's scaring away the tourists. LOS, land of scams, love it or leave it!

What the article says " Provincial Administrative Organisation deputy president Noppadol Niamsungnoen urged the RFD to stop creating the impression that Wang Nam Kheow people had encroached on forest land to build resorts, steal the habitat of wild bulls and cause river flooding because it created misunderstanding among tourists, who then stopped visiting."

What the people are "guilty" of is using the land for a purpose that wasn't considered at the time of the lease because at that time nobody thought that one day this area could become a successful touristic area.

What the WNK people ask is that the Forest Department stops lying by saying that they encroach on forest land, steal the habitat of wild bulls and cause river flooding because it's simply not true.

Why do you think the forest department lies so blatantly ? Because if it is only a case of disagreement of the terms of a lease nobody would care and their chance to get their hands on this gold mine would be almost nil.

And it works. It's a very technical case, legally wise, but it doesn't stop people who have absolutely no knowledge of what's really going on to give a definitive opinion of what should be done and who should be hanged first. It would be laughable if the future of hundreds of villagers and people who depend from them wouldn't be at stake.

[jfchandler]

I'm sure there is a fascinating story behind what's going on with all these forest encroachment cases of late around Korat... Unfortunately, whatever the real story is, it's certainly not being reported here and in the Thai media...

The RFD "discovered" these homes and resorts??? Really??? From the various photos, some were under construction, but a lot were already completed and had apparently been in use and occupied for some time...

So where was the RFD during the proposal stage and construction stage for all these places? How about some explanation of that?

And how did the local land use officials grant construction permits for homes and resorts on supposedly protected national forest land? How about some explanation of that?

And if, apparently as is the case, this same kind of thing has been going on for years, why only now is there a ruckus being created over it around Korat.... Probably could find exactly the same kind of things going on throughout the country...

Which makes one wonder.... why now... why there?

I'm sure there's an intriguing answer to all this.... Unfortunate that we're not likely to hear it.

[PoorSucker]

Where did the poor farmers get the money to build these huge resorts.

[OzMick]

We don't like this law (that we are breaking) so you shouldn't enforce it. And stop pointing out that we are breaking the law, it's scaring away the tourists. LOS, land of scams, love it or leave it!

What the article says " Provincial Administrative Organisation deputy president Noppadol Niamsungnoen urged the RFD to stop creating the impression that Wang Nam Kheow people had encroached on forest land to build resorts, steal the habitat of wild bulls and cause river flooding because it created misunderstanding among tourists, who then stopped visiting."

What the people are "guilty" of is using the land for a purpose that wasn't considered at the time of the lease because at that time nobody thought that one day this area could become a successful touristic area.

What the WNK people ask is that the Forest Department stops lying by saying that they encroach on forest land, steal the habitat of wild bulls and cause river flooding because it's simply not true.

Why do you think the forest department lies so blatantly ? Because if it is only a case of disagreement of the terms of a lease nobody would care and their chance to get their hands on this gold mine would be almost nil.

And it works. It's a very technical case, legally wise, but it doesn't stop people who have absolutely no knowledge of what's really going on to give a definitive opinion of what should be done and who should be hanged first. It would be laughable if the future of hundreds of villagers and people who depend from them wouldn't be at stake.

What is "very technical" about not complying with the terms of a lease? And what other uses should be allowed because they weren't considered at the time the lease was granted - nuclear power stations, toxic waste dumps, space shuttle launch sites perhaps?

Should "hundreds" of villagers be allowed to profit from illegal acts to the detriment of the rest of the nation? Only you have mentioned hanging, the demand seems to be restoration of land to its permitted use.

And where is the "gold mine" when an illegal resort is bulldozed?

[OzMick]

I'm sure there is a fascinating story behind what's going on with all these forest encroachment cases of late around Korat... Unfortunately, whatever the real story is, it's certainly not being reported here and in the Thai media...

The RFD "discovered" these homes and resorts??? Really??? From the various photos, some were under construction, but a lot were already completed and had apparently been in use and occupied for some time...

So where was the RFD during the proposal stage and construction stage for all these places? How about some explanation of that?

And how did the local land use officials grant construction permits for homes and resorts on supposedly protected national forest land? How about some explanation of that?

And if, apparently as is the case, this same kind of thing has been going on for years, why only now is there a ruckus being created over it around Korat.... Probably could find exactly the same kind of things going on throughout the country...

Which makes one wonder.... why now... why there?

I'm sure there's an intriguing answer to all this.... Unfortunate that we're not likely to hear it.

Have you considered that some well-meaning public servants may have taken the window of opportunity where there is a lack of political oversight to publicise these cases? once the cat is out of the bag, it might be quite difficult to cover up as much as the new minister might like to come to an "equitable solution".

How did illegal permits get issued? same way as usual with a brown paper bag going the other way.

[CiderFizz]

Koh Chang National Park is ful of countless resorts, schools, houses and shops built on reserved land. Let's have them all pulled down and the forest preserved as a natural wilderness.

[sabye]

AS one of the villagers said the land demarcation is very blurred and I believe it. I have been trying to settle up my land for 10 years now and it is almost impossible to get some one from the land department to come and put up markers for our Nor Sor 3 land. "Influential" people come to the area I am in and just take what they want and then go to the land department and get it upgraded from Sor Kor 1 to Nor Sor 3 land even though there was a ban on upgraded put in effect just 3 years ago. Only old Nor Sor 3 was supposed to be valid. I also know that a resort has been built on park land in the deep south of Thailand and it was not allowed to open by the park officials. Building permits are not even asked for in most of the up country areas and officials turn a blind eye to building regulations. When officials are paid as poorly as they are here in Thailand you can hardly expect them to get up do a good job. If they strike out on their own to clean something up they are liable to be reprimanded by elected officials or "influential" people. it can severely affect their careers.

[kimamey]

The Royal Forest Department (RFD) has discovered another 17 resorts and private houses built on forest reserves in Nakhon Ratchasima province's Wang Nam Kheow district.

"Discovered" ??

Maybe someone just discovered satellite view on Google Maps.

[JurgenG]

I'm sure there is a fascinating story behind what's going on with all these forest encroachment cases of late around Korat... Unfortunately, whatever the real story is, it's certainly not being reported here and in the Thai media...

The RFD "discovered" these homes and resorts??? Really??? From the various photos, some were under construction, but a lot were already completed and had apparently been in use and occupied for some time...

So where was the RFD during the proposal stage and construction stage for all these places? How about some explanation of that?

And how did the local land use officials grant construction permits for homes and resorts on supposedly protected national forest land? How about some explanation of that?

And if, apparently as is the case, this same kind of thing has been going on for years, why only now is there a ruckus being created over it around Korat.... Probably could find exactly the same kind of things going on throughout the country...

Which makes one wonder.... why now... why there?

I'm sure there's an intriguing answer to all this.... Unfortunate that we're not likely to hear it.

Why now ? Why there ?

There because Wang Nam Khieo is a cash cow. We have a repeat of what happened with Don Muang : a government department that doesn't want to lose the control (read revenue) of a cash cow with high development potential, whatever the human, social or economical cost will be.

Now because like during the coup, this department takes advantage of the political transition period to assert its position.

We shouldn't be fooled by the "big names" who are just the tip of the iceberg. 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 by the responsables of the departments in charge. 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 the locals to develop their business free of harassment and then 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 won't go unpunished. The Forest Department should also be reminded that its role is to protect the wild life, not to interfere with the economical development of the region.

[thequietman]

was that a phone mast i seen in the picture ?

what phone company put up a mast without permission. the houses may have only just been 'discovered' but a massive orange and white metal structure stretching into the sky wasnt spotted. strange, what did they think it was ? maybe a large fruit tree or an unusually tall papaya tree.

[Johpa]

The behavior of these "Locals" is ridiculous.

It is rarely locals, it is almost always Bangkok folks. Although sometimes it is locals who relocated to Bangkok decades ago who return. But go to any national park region or just about anywhere that is going through a resort oriented development transition (e.g. Mae Chaem and Pai up north) and all the land, legal or otherwise, gets bought up my Bangkok money.

And lest we forget, many of these resorts should hang the traditional "sak, op rit" sign outside as their primary function is to do laundry, money laundering that is.

[FOODLOVER]

I like the nipple house.

[jfchandler]

What the new government should do is reform the land titles to allow the locals to develop their business free of harassment and then 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 won't go unpunished. The Forest Department should also be reminded that its role is to protect the wild life, not to interfere with the economical development of the region.

What you're saying above generally makes sense to me... Except there's one hitch I think.

As best as I can decipher these various reports, it seems part of what's going on it is some locals were given land under some land reform scheme with some kind of convenant restriction that the land only could be used for farming.... And then various of those small fish folks turned around and sold or leased or otherwise conveyed the land to bigger fish, who then built homes and "resorts" and other such stuff on land that was supposed to reserved for farming.... And it sounds like some of that gifted land reform farm land was within the parks area....but now has developments on it.

That's not exactly in keeping with what the original intent of the land transfers was to the local small fishes.... Having sole proprietor local farming operations in or near national parkland is one thing. Someone building multi million baht houses or tourist resorts is quite a bit off from that...

We can debate whether the original restrictions on the land transfers should or should not have contained those restrictions. But the fact is they did.... And allowing the locals to simply ignore the terms of those agreements because they think they can make a bigger profit by selling out, instead of farming, isn't too kosher.

[Beetlejuice]

So where were the authorities when all this building was under construction?

Are they deaf and blind? How could anyone fail to see what was going on? I’m sure all this did not just spring up over night.

Some property speculators must have known that once these monstrosities were built then it would be an extremely difficult task for the forestry to have it all demolished and taken away.

I suppose in the meantime, there will be no restrictions on the buying and selling of these properties for profit for those that own these buildings and will still be able to obtain the relevant paperwork from the land office, making this appear all legal and above board.

It`s all BS connived by certain companies for the proposes of big business and profit. A sneaky way into the area and I guess we can definitely surmise that they have won.

[webfact]

Developers to face legal action

By PONGPHON SARNSAMAK,

PRASIT TANGPRASERT,

PIYANUT TAMNUKASETTHAI

THE NATION

The Royal Forest Department (RFD) is pursuing legal procedures to file civil lawsuits against 22 developers and other land invaders in Nakhon Ratchasima province's Wang Nam Kheow district.

RFD director-general Suwit Rattanamanee said yesterday that the action would be taken under the 1992 Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act.

"All resorts and private houses must be removed from Phu Luang National Forest reserves," he said. "The investigations and evidence show that they [developers] have encroached on forest reserves."

The director of RFD's Forest Land Management Division, Phusit Prommanop, said most developers in Wang Nam Kheow district did not have legal title deeds or documents entitling them to occupy the forest reserves.

Most of the resorts and private houses are in zone C forest reserves, in which individuals may not erect any structures unless a Cabinet regulation allows them to do so, he said.

He was speaking during a survey trip to investigate land plots in forest reserves, and was accompanied by a media group.

Meanwhile, RFD representatives will meet the Nakhon Ratchasima provincial governor and local officials today in an attempt to resolve the land-encroachment problem and decide on action against the 22 developers who have built structures in the Phu Luang Forest Reserve.

The meeting will be chaired by the Second Army Region commander and joined by provincial land department officials and related agencies.

However, the venue for the meeting has been changed to Suranari military camp, after threats by residents of Wang Nam Kheow district to rally at the RFD's local office if the department fails to stop "strictly enforcing the law".

A Wang Nam Kheow resident, Thed Bootri, 76, said she had lived in the district for more than 40 years, before areas were designated as conservation reserves by a Cabinet resolution on June 30, 1998.

"I will not move anywhere. I have nowhere to go," she said, adding that she lived with her family on only 1 rai (1,600 square metres) of land.

"What am I guilty of?" Thed asked. "I lived here before the areas were designed as forest reserves. I have not encroached on any forest."

Thap Lan National Park's chief Thewin Meesap said yesterday that he had been informed by a developer who illegally built a resort on national-park land that he would voluntarily demolish his resort.

Thewin has posted "no entry" signs at more than 10 resorts in Thap Lan National Park.

The secretary-general of the Office of the Public-Sector Anti-Corruption Commission, Amphon Wongsiri, said his agency had discovered that more than 3,000 rai of forestland in Nakhon Ratchasima province's Sung Noen district had been occupied by wealthy developers. These developers had illegally allowed local farmers to rent this large area of land.

"We found that local-area politicians are behind this wrongdoing," Amphon said.

-- The Nation 2011-08-04