Foreigners 'Encroaching' On Thai Forests

[webfact]

Foreigners 'encroaching' on forests

By PONGPHON SARNSAMAK

THE NATION

Forest land encroachment problems are now spreading to the Eastern and Northern provinces after large areas of more than 1,000 rai of forest reserves in Kanchanaburi and Phetchabun were found to have been converted to rubber plantations by Taiwanese and other wealthy foreigners.

Natural Resources and Environ-ment Ministry permanent secretary Chote Trachoo said he ordered officials to conduct an in-depth investigation into the allegations.

"Officials reported that more than 1,000 rai in forest reserves in Kanchanaburi and Phetchabun's Khaoko district have been taken over," he said.

Previously, the ministry had taken legal action against some Taiwanese who had engaged in rubber plantation in Thap Lan National Park.

Director-general of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Sunant Arunnoppharat, said he has instructed officials to conduct a nationwide investigation into the encroachment. His department is now focusing on land enforcement in Sai Noi National Park and Thong Pha Bhoom National Park in Kanchana-buri province, and other national parks in Phitsanulok and Phetchabun province. He said these areas had been heavily invaded by rich investors and converted into rubber plantations.

The newly appointed Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk said yesterday he would strictly enforce the law against people who exploited forest lands and national parks in Nakhon Ratchasima province's Wang Nam Kheow district

"The ministry will not slow down the process of enforcing the law against people who intrude on forest land. The law is the law," he told high-level ministry officials during his first day at the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry. " I will look into details of forest land encroachment in Wang Nam Kheow district and will visit the area."

However, a clear response to the land conflict in Wang Nam Kheow will come after the government states its policy to the House of Representatives next week, he said.

Sunant Arunnoppharat added that his agency would not stop taking legal action against people who had infiltrated the national park area as it has to follow the 1961 National Park Act.

" We will deal with these people case by case. We will first take legal action against affluent people said to use their money and influence to encroach on national park areas," he said.

Previously, Wang Nam Kheow district chief Chaiyong Hompirom had asked the new government to delay enforcement of the National Park Act and related laws against people who encroached on forest reserves and national park areas.

He said the new government should conduct fact finding about the alleged forest land encroachment in Wang Nam Kheow before taking legal action.

Also, the government should set up a special task force to conduct a survey to designate the new boundaries for Phu Luang forest reserves, especially in zone C.

Chaiyong also asked the Thap Lan National Park to follow the boundaries designated in the year 2000 to determine the national park areas as they were drawn up by officials and people living around the area.

-- The Nation 2011-08-17

[Soutpeel]

Ah.....the new bosses in town are looking for their cut, now not disputing that Taiwanese and other wealthy foreigners are involved, but surely there are thai nationals involved in these as well facilitating things....are they going to be prosecuted as well ?

I am pretty sure after the "investigation" it will be determined that any Thai nationals involved were forced/conned into this by these bad bad foreigners...

ps...@ The Nation, unless things have changed since I went to school....."Environ-ment" is one word .....

[x5david]

The law is the law...unless someone pays me enough to believe otherwise.....

[FOODLOVER]

Didn't they find that the Thai farmers are the ones who sold the land rights that were supposed to be for their own farming. Or is this another one?

[jalansanitwong]

Geeeeee wiz.....foreigners encroaching on Thai forests. As if the Thais themselves arent involved ..Its probably the local joint partner who spilt the beans and wants to take all! Never get involved in land in Thailand.

[hgma]

i do not agree

My point of view is that ANY foreigner residing in a foreign country should bare in mind that they should do what they do in their own country.......respect the Law.

As they don't we get this sort of crap.

hgma

The xenophobia is starting again in order to divert attention away from the reality and the the deceit of the P.T.P. and the lining of the pockets of its owner.

Perhaps some foreigner holding a passport from Montenegro already has or possibly desires some holdings in the area.

[RedNIvar]

The header should read " Foreigners conned into purchasing reserve land by unscrupulous individuals"

[Mario2008]

Some off topic posts have been deleted. This isn't about Taksin.

[boggle]

The header should read " Foreigners conned into purchasing reserve land by unscrupulous individuals"

Foreigners purchasing Thai land!

I like to see that.

What a load of crap.

Previously, the ministry had taken legal action against some Taiwanese who had engaged in rubber plantation in Thap Lan National Park.

How do they do that? What happened to the Thai owners.

Amazing as always!!!

Edited August 17, 2011 by boggle

[livingthedream]

'Chaiyong also asked the Thap Lan National Park to follow the boundaries designated in the year 2000 to determine the national park areas as they were drawn up by officials and people living around the area.'

Of course its possible the boundaries were conveniently re-drawn to accomodate the land sell off by the local officials - thus making it 'legal' .

[Valentine]

Could this be the standard xenophobic response to deflect the heat away from influential Thai nationals? I am not disputing that there is foreign involvement but they can only do it with local assistance in which case foreigners & Thais alike should be taken to court.

[webfact]

related:

More Resort Owners in Trouble as Crackdown on Forest Encroachment Continues

Nakhon Ratchasima officials say they are in the progress of determining whether 17 additional resorts actually encroached on forest reserve land.

Local forest resource official Sutep Pawarejwittayaran said that he has forwarded the cases against 17 resorts believed to have encroached on national forest reserve land in Wang Nam Keaw District, to the Royal Forest Department.

He said the process should be completed within the next two weeks. If the probe finds the resorts guilty, Sutep will order an inspection of ownership rights immediately.

Nakhon Ratchasima Deputy Police Commander, Police Colonel Wachirawit Kritrittisak, said none of the owners of 22 resorts, already found to be guilty of encroachment, have shown up as requested by the first summons.

He said if the owners fail to comply with the second summons, he will seek arrest warrants.

Local administrative organization official Chun Sirichaikirikosol said local residents in the district will submit a proposed solution to the new national resources and environment minister to help tackle the problem.

He went on to say 15,000 people have joined in signing a petition to propose amendments to legislations to protect national forest land.

Chun also questioned the legalization of the land deeds of a famous cow farm called 'Chokchai, which used to run business on a rental plot of land.

The company's land is now protected by patents.

-- Tan Network 2011-08-17

[Crushdepth]

Yep, couldn't be Thai people. It's either foreigners or that dam_n "third hand" again.

[harrry]

Some off topic posts have been deleted. This isn't about Taksin.

Or Thaksin either

[Cnxforever]

" We will deal with these people case by case. We will first take legal action against affluent people said to use their money and influence to encroach on national park areas," he said.

Previously, Wang Nam Kheow district chief Chaiyong Hompirom had asked the new government to delay enforcement of the National Park Act and related laws against people who encroached on forest reserves and national park areas.

So what do we have here?

Oh yes TIT - RENEGOTIATION !!!

could you please spare us stupid, xenophobic, invented "news" like this in the future - or how can a "foreigner" who does not have the right to own land - encroach on any land - let alone national park land - without the help of corrupt Thai officials. Any foreigner who would be stupid enough to get involved in these long ongoing scams - will surely loose all his investment.

"The Nation" is aptly named - nationalistic garbage is mostly what they print!

Since the 1940’s Thais have almost entirely destroyed their prime forests and eradicated almost all wild life for pure greed.

There is a great book called Profit & Loss (Gewinn und Verlust, from A.E. Johann) which highlights teak trade and the corruption of the powerful in Thailand during the 1960’s in Bangkok selling their already decimated tropical hardwood to the highest bidders.

"The Nations" article above is not only approx. 70 years to late - but also puts the blame on the wrong people!

[Soutpeel]

Some off topic posts have been deleted. This isn't about Taksin.

Or Thaksin either

Classes finish early today Harrry ?.........

[harrry]

Some off topic posts have been deleted. This isn't about Taksin.

Or Thaksin either

Classes finish early today Harrry ?.........

Well I guess you could gain lessons from history.

[Thaddeus]

"The Nations" article above is not only approx. 70 years to late - but also puts the blame on the wrong people! [/size]

Secretly, I think they know that already.

[MaiChai]

The Thais should implement laws preventing foreigners owning anything. That will then stop stupid foreigners investing here and then ultimatly getting ripped off and loosing everything!

[Swiss1960]

The Thais should implement laws preventing foreigners owning anything. That will then stop stupid foreigners investing here and then ultimatly getting ripped off and loosing everything!

You should not be that harsh with ALL foreigners :-) There are those who just want to spend their life in this beautiful country and will adhere to ALL laws when buying property and who will have their own lawyers check that all requirements under Thai laws are followed... and then there are the others who will do everything for profit, also buying illegal property... and hope that they will never get caught as long as they fill the right pockets with parts of their profits...

But I am wondering... wondering about all the activity that those local officers suddenly show... either they want to impress the new government of their provinces by their investigations and secure their future jobs... or somehow some foreigners stopped to fill their (the officers) pockets after the election, as they want to take out the most possible and "disappear" before then new government will clean the mess on their own ;-)

Edited August 17, 2011 by Swiss1960

[janverbeem]

Chun also questioned the legalization of the land deeds of a famous cow farm called 'Chokchai, which used to run business on a rental plot of land.

The company's land is now protected by patents.

-- Tan Network 2011-08-17

Patents on a plot of land?That's patents on natural resources?

By the way now that they are on it,maybe they could solve the Alpine golf issue at the same time,so yes it is about Thaksin.

[OzMick]

"Previously, Wang Nam Kheow district chief Chaiyong Hompirom had asked the new government to delay..........."

"He said the new government should conduct fact finding................."

somebody's been watching "Yes, Prime Minister."

How do you protect land with a patent?

[webfact]

WANG NAM KHEOW

ALRO, RFD join up to resolve issue

By JANJIRA PONGRAI,

PONGPHON SARNSAMAK

THE NATION

A special task force will be set up to study pertinent laws

The Agricultural Land Reform Office has teamed up with the Royal Forest Department in a bid to devise an effective means of resolving the long-running encroachment problem in Nakhon Ratchasima's Wang Nam Kheow district.

The state agencies have come up with three resolutions to overcome the land conflict in the area, RFD director-general Suwit Rattanamanee said yesterday after meeting with ALRO secretary-general Lerd Virotkowitwattana to discuss the overlapping areas between agricultural reform land and forest reserves.

He said they had agreed to set up a special task force to study the differences of interpretation as regards the law relied upon by the two agencies.

They also agreed to ask the Council of State to interpret these legal differences, so that the agencies could enforce the law in the same direction.

ALRO and the RFD will also conduct a new survey to designate the boundaries between the latter's forest reserves and the former's agricultural reform land.

Moreover, both entities will henceforth go ahead and arrest people who encroach on forest reserves and use agricultural reform land for other than permitted purposes, said Suwit.

Meanwhile, the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry will not allow resort developers that have encroached upon forest reserves and national park areas in Wang Nam Kheow to rent the land or continue to stay in the areas in question.

"We are unable to accede to the request from developers who invaded national park areas, when they asked us to allow them to rent the areas and not demolish their structures," said permanent secretary Chote Trachoo.

"It is impossible to agree to their requests," he added.

Previously, Thap Lan National Park's office found that some 104 resorts and private homes had encroached onto national park territory.

The courts ruled in 2000 to order these resorts to remove and demolish their structures, as they were in violation of Article 22 the 1961 National Park Act, which forbids individuals from encroaching onto national parks in order to put up structures.

However, during the past few days, a group of developers had asked the of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Department to allow them to continue staying in the areas and not demolish their structures, saying they had invested a great sum in construction and the ministry's strict measures would destroy the tourism atmosphere in Wang Nam Kheow.

Director-general Sunant Arunnoparat said his department had earlier asked the Council of State, a government legal body, whether it could demolish the structures built by individuals in national parks.

In response, the council issued a recommendation that the department should continue to do so.

Sunant said he also ordered national park chiefs nationwide to conduct an investigation into encroachment in their areas, and especially into those people who were ordered by the court to remove their structures from the parks.

-- The Nation 2011-08-18

[Valentine]

The above photo shows the land is being used for farming. However, the "farmer" does seem to have a fairly large home with plenty of bungalows for farm workers.

[random]

Those pesky foreigners

[weary]

The nationalist tone aside it's good that some effort is being made, the forest reserves should be protected or we will all suffer for it. The effect of flash floods is much more severe with deforestation.

Why do you reckon Nan gets flooded every year?

[oldsailor35]

The nationalist tone aside it's good that some effort is being made, the forest reserves should be protected or we will all suffer for it. The effect of flash floods is much more severe with deforestation.

Why do you reckon Nan gets flooded every year?

Yes and Samui too !

[Buchholz]

WANG NAM KHEOW

ALRO, RFD join up to resolve issue

The Agricultural Land Reform Office has teamed up with the Royal Forest Department in a bid to devise an effective means of resolving the long-running encroachment problem in Nakhon Ratchasima's Wang Nam Kheow district.

Apparently the "effective means of resolving the long-running encroachment" means complete annihilation of the resorts.

Yesterday night, under darkness, a 3300-man demolition team stormed the national park and completely destroyed nine resorts that had been determined to be encroaching.

The armed National Forestry Department representatives used sledge hammers and earth movers to raze the buildings completely.

The raid took place at 7 different areas at the same time (1:00am), in Nakhon Ratchasima's Wang Nam Khieo district and also 2 different areas in Prachin Buri's Na Di district.

They were met angry resort owners and workers and local protesters who set tires on fire in a futile bid to block the backhoes and tractors.

The Forestry Department said it would will file lawsuits against the resort owners to pay for the demolition costs.

In turn, some resort owners said they would file lawsuits asking for millions in damages.

.

Edited July 28, 2012 by Buchholz

[BuckarooBanzai]

"Previously, Wang Nam Kheow district chief Chaiyong Hompirom had asked the new government to delay..........."

"He said the new government should conduct fact finding................."

somebody's been watching "Yes, Prime Minister."

How do you protect land with a patent?

The word patent originates from the Latin patere, which means "to lay open" (i.e., to make available for public inspection). More directly, it is a shortened version of the term letters patent, which was a royal decree granting exclusive rights to a person, predating the modern patent system. Similar grants included land patents, which were land grants by early state governments in the USA, and printing patents, a precursor of modern copyright.

[siampolee]

Because honestly, nobody can protect you against your own stupidity.

A quote from an expert perhaps?

Look around and you will see many dubious transactions ,

Pattaya real estate and indeed many business consortium are reputed to divided up twixt the Russians and the Jews, now if that is how did it happen not corruption surely?

Money talks in any country .