Legalising illegal resorts 'will endanger' Thai forests

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Legalising illegal resorts 'will endanger' Thai forests
Tanpisit Lerdbamrungchai
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand will lose its forests in less than a decade if the government continues turning illegal resort operators inside national parks into legal tenants, the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation warned yesterday.

"If our forests remain open for lease, then they will come to an end," the foundation's chairperson Rataya Chantian told a seminar.

Held by Kasetsart University's Faculty of Forestry, the seminar addressed conflicts between development and conservation policies and on whether resorts encroaching into national parks should be dismantled or allowed to stay open through a new legal framework.

"Some people in society are concerned about policies that are geared towards the use of forestland more than ever before," Kwanchai Duangsathaporn said in his capacity as deputy director of the faculty's Forest Research Centre.

Speaking at the same seminar, Nakhon Ratchasima Tourism Association's president Samer Jindapong said resorts promoted tourism and generated income for locals, adding that when the government cracked down on illegal resorts in the Wang Nam Kheow National Park, the local economy suffered badly.

"When those resorts were dismantled, farmers had to go somewhere else to sell their fruits.

"Many people lost their jobs and had to find new employment. More than 60 students had to quit school in order to relocate with their parents," Samer said.

Asst Prof Wanchai Arunpraparut, dean of the faculty, said that though these illegal resorts boosted tourism and the local economy, their presence ran against the country's principle of forest conservation.

Annop Chaipornthanarat, an academic at the Forest Department, said the government should have clear-cut policies.

"I don't want to see confusing policies," he said.

Not long after the crackdown on illegal resorts in the Wang Nam Kheow National Park was carried out, relevant authorities have talked about making these resort operators legal tenants.


-- The Nation 2013-06-29

[garyk]

Ko Yai is fixing to loose there national heretic stamp not because of this so much as illegal hunting and killing of the wildlife. The crocodile has vanished. I was in KK yesterday and the leader said he just brought crocodile eggs in to hatch in the park. Personally I think to late. But we will see.

A strong stand has got to be made. But it is affecting peoples lives. In the long term it could create many good jobs but not right now?

[OzMick]

"Not long after the crackdown on illegal resorts in the Wang Nam Kheow National Park was carried out, relevant authorities have talked about making these resort operators legal tenants.

I am shocked, I say, shocked!

[Curt1591]

These resorts are the least of the system's problems.

[Sayonarax]

Awwww, has the palms started to be greased, oh shock horror!

[PoodMaiDai]

I can't wrap my head around this at all. If it is in a park, tear it down today. Period.

The thought of the resort owners even having a leg to stand on boggles the mind. They are there illegally. The land is not their land. They lose. Sorry about your luck.

[reiltin]

.They took all the trees

Put 'em in a tree museum *

And they charged the people

A dollar and a half just to see 'em

Joni Mitchells "paved paradise" is Thailand today.

[allan michaud]

Ko Yai is fixing to loose there national heretic stamp not because of this so much as illegal hunting and killing of the wildlife. The crocodile has vanished. I was in KK yesterday and the leader said he just brought crocodile eggs in to hatch in the park. Personally I think to late. But we will see.

A strong stand has got to be made. But it is affecting peoples lives. In the long term it could create many good jobs but not right now?

OMG! He bought eggs to hatch in the park. Considering that virtually all the crocs in captivity, in farms, are cross breeds of Siamese freshwater and the big salties this will be disastrous. Real conservation entails doing DNA tests to ensure they are the right species. Words fail me.

[alfalfa19]

It's terrible that they would even consider legitimizing these trespassers. Thailand is such a beautiful place, but the beauty is constantly being eroded by greedheads of various types.

[rametindallas]

This will not end well

[SOTIRIOS]

..............

"corruption is the new religion of Thailand".............(my quote)***

***copyright

[Orac]

..............

"corruption is the new religion of Thailand".............(my quote)***

***copyright

Nothing new about it at all - it has been going on forever. The difference between Thailand and other more developed countries is they have seen how corrosive it can be to a society and dealt with it including stigmatising those who are involved.

[monkeycountry]

Remember how quick the guy in charge of the resort demolition was transferred about a year or so ago? I suppose PTP politicians (they have the power to transfer) saw yet another 30% opportunity :-)

[fakename]

How does someone build an illegal resort? Doesnt anyone notice? Seems that anything can be done in Thailand, just need to pay.

[Emdog]

Lots of palm (as in hand) "oil" passed I am sure. The economic argument could also be made about making and selling ya ba, selling daughters to brothels, etc. All of those activities stimulate local economies, so I guess by this logic they must be okay.

[Thai at Heart]

How does someone build an illegal resort? Doesnt anyone notice? Seems that anything can be done in Thailand, just need to pay.

It's a bit like missing rice. It's not illegal until someone points it out to be so.

Until then, it just exists in the ether, neither illegal or legal.

Edited June 29, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[Suffinator]

Ah, the LOS where you can get away with anything with the right amount of cash.

[lee b]

How does someone build an illegal resort? Doesnt anyone notice? Seems that anything can be done in Thailand, just need to pay.

It's a bit like missing rice. It's not illegal until someone points it out to be so.

Until then, it just exists in the ether, neither illegal or legal.

Very true

[tomross46]

Illegal resorts to be made legal. Is like the American government making 11 million illegal people trafficked into the country citizens. It seems all governments do not understand the meaning of the word illegal. In Thailand the illegal resorts belong to politicians, police or military, In the USA be giving the illegal humans, trafficked into the country, citizenship than they will have the right to vote for the party that did not understand the meaning of illegal.

[BrianCR]

or maybe a government that understood the word compassion

Illegal resorts to be made legal. Is like the American government making 11 million illegal people trafficked into the country citizens. It seems all governments do not understand the meaning of the word illegal. In Thailand the illegal resorts belong to politicians, police or military, In the USA be giving the illegal humans, trafficked into the country, citizenship than they will have the right to vote for the party that did not understand the meaning of illegal.

?

Or maybe a government that understands the word compassion? Anyone tell me why homo sapiens spend most of their lives making life difficult for each other?

[OzMick]

Illegal resorts to be made legal. Is like the American government making 11 million illegal people trafficked into the country citizens. It seems all governments do not understand the meaning of the word illegal. In Thailand the illegal resorts belong to politicians, police or military, In the USA be giving the illegal humans, trafficked into the country, citizenship than they will have the right to vote for the party that did not understand the meaning of illegal.

I'm afraid/certain that the payment here will be rather more substantial than an anticipation of a future vote.

[OzMick]

or maybe a government that understood the word compassion

Illegal resorts to be made legal. Is like the American government making 11 million illegal people trafficked into the country citizens. It seems all governments do not understand the meaning of the word illegal. In Thailand the illegal resorts belong to politicians, police or military, In the USA be giving the illegal humans, trafficked into the country, citizenship than they will have the right to vote for the party that did not understand the meaning of illegal.

?

Or maybe a government that understands the word compassion? Anyone tell me why homo sapiens spend most of their lives making life difficult for each other?

I have to wonder what degree of illegality you allow those who desire what that which is not theirs. Are you compassionate enough to accept illegal seizure of national park, armed robbery, or even rape?

[EyesWideOpen]

"Not long after the crackdown on illegal resorts in the Wang Nam Kheow National Park was carried out, relevant authorities have talked about making these resort operators legal tenants.

I am shocked, I say, shocked!

Yes, truly shocking....... :-) When this story first came out in a previous thread, I said not one stick of these illegal structures would be torn down as they were owned by the deadly " people of influence". And looks that has come to pass ,with talk of converting to legal tenants. Another loss for the Thai people.

[clockman]

.They took all the trees

Put 'em in a tree museum *

And they charged the people

A dollar and a half just to see 'em

Joni Mitchells "paved paradise" is Thailand today.

Never a truer word spoken!

[ratcatcher]

..............

"corruption is the new religion of Thailand".............(my quote)***

***copyright

And "religion is the opiate of the masses."

Groucho Marx