Thai national park encroachers face seizures

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National park encroachers face seizures
Prasit Tangprasert,
Sittichai Sikhawat
The Nation

AMLO to seize assets of over 44 illegal resort operators in Wang Nam Kheow

BANGKOK: -- OWNERS OF resorts operating illegally in national parks will face the seizure of their assets, Royal Forest Department's (RFD) chief Theerapat Prayunrasiddhi announced yesterday.

"You will see concrete results of our intensified operations against forest encroachers within the next three to six months," he said.

He said the recent decision by the Anti Money Laundering Office (Amlo) to seize the assets of an investor who operated the Ban Talay Mork in Prachin Buri's Nadi district had already set a precedent.

"We will use the assets seizure measure in ongoing cases against 44 other resorts in Nakhon Ratcha-sima's Wang Nam Kheow district, as well as resorts that have encroached on national forest reserve in other areas," Theerapat said.

Of the 44 resorts in Wang Nam Kheow district, three cases have already reached public prosecutors.

"The rest is in the hands of investigators," he said.

In addition to assets being seized by the authorities, he said the RFD had also sought to improve forest laws in a bid to prescribe tougher punishments against forest encroachers.

Meanwhile, Boonnaem Chuayra-dom, the assistant chief of Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, joined a joint operation to inspect Ao Nang beach following a complaint by tourists that operators had constructed buildings and put beach beds on the public beach zone.

This national park is located in Krabi province.

Similar complaints have also arisen in the seaside province of Trang.

Hat Chao Mai National Park chief Manoj Wongsureerat summoned the bosses of beachside restaurants for a discussion yesterday after several operators continued to put dining tables on the public beach.

"Such problems have damaged the image of Trang's tourism industry," he said.

Manoj said public areas should be used fairly among members of the public, not by business operators.

"We have also received complaints that some beachside restaurants have overcharged tourists," he said.

"Many tourists have also complained that local operators have prevented them from sitting on the beach in front of their restaurants."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/National-park-encroachers-face-seizures-30248557.html


-- The Nation 2014-11-26

[Beng]

Well done. Now tackle all the hotels, as setting up dining facilities on beaches is a common practice on Samui and elsewhere.

[ramrod711]

AMLO to seize assets of over 44 illegal resort operators in Wang Nam Kheow

This action will set a good example, many posters on TV have said that being evicted from park land should not just be for the poor. Now the rich resort owners are getting a taste, it's about time.

[rametindallas]

Name, shame, confiscate all assets, imprison. Do it enough times and the rich, Hi-Sos will get the message that it's not worth the risk of losing everything they own and not just the property that was encroaching. This is a crime against every Thai citizen.

[RustBucket]

I think they need to scrutinize the bank accounts of the people involved in the national parks office before they do anything else.

These places are not being opened up without payment to the right people.

[Bignose]

An excellent and worthwhile step in the right direction...

With every new initiative that brings another rourte or scam under control the mood changes, the previously socially acceptable models of corruption, graft and just plain dishonesty will not change or disappear overnight.

This will be a long campaign in many different area's and on many different levels of Thai society, where a multitude of issues will be picked off and dealt with. Yes we would all like it to happen overnight, but the many years of ineptitude, inaction and complicity have ensured that the ill's of this country are deep rooted and stubborn. No matter what if the political will is there, if the previously dominant parasites can be held at bay and never be allowed back into power, then progress will be made.

This is a good place to start, those that were previously "connected" and influential must be shown the error of their ways. Once the general population see's effective change and accountability being enforced, maybe then we can see general attitudes towards justice and social responsibility change.

This may require generational change, but change there will be...