Cabinet approves rehabilitation of forests on Samui Island

The caretaker cabinet has approved a plan to rehabilitate degraded forests on Samui Island.

The rehabilitation of this famous island resort in the Gulf of Thailand will be carried out jointly by the Forestry, National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation and Land departments.

Vast areas of forests on the island have been encroached and land ownership papers have been illegally issued to trespassers.

Officials will take legal action against encroachers and rehabilitate the deteriorated forests.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 09 August 2006

I REALLY hope so, and hope is not an election cheap trick! Cause it's about time, before Samui ends like Pattaya! Probably will anyways!

Don't suppose anyone knows of a map or anything similar that shows where the encroachment has taken place?

Charma,this is not a new event.It's been going on for years.Same as Phuket & Krabi.Look what took place after the tsunami.Big scramble for land & people illegally claiming land & that was not so long ago.It's blatant ,lots of talk about it & then what happens?Some sacrifitial lambs & the big ones get away with it.It will never change.You are talking about declaring 34,000 Rai as national park.

It's the old story ,close the gate after the horse has bolted.

Do you honestly think the big players are going to be affected?You have 2 different departments working,the left hand don't know what the right one is doing.Funny that all this takes place before an election is coming up.

Charma,this is not a new event.It's been going on for years.Same as Phuket & Krabi.Look what took place after the tsunami.Big scramble for land & people illegally claiming land & that was not so long ago.It's blatant ,lots of talk about it & then what happens?Some sacrifitial lambs & the big ones get away with it.It will never change.You are talking about declaring 34,000 Rai as national park.

It's the old story ,close the gate after the horse has bolted.

Do you honestly think the big players are going to be affected?You have 2 different departments working,the left hand don't know what the right one is doing.Funny that all this takes place before an election is coming up.

I take your point, but in this case we are talking four hands:

will be carried out jointly by the Forestry, National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation and Land departments

I was just wondering here specifically all this de-forestation has occured and where the national parks are supposed to be!

Parks agency opposes plan for reservoir on resort isle

APINYA WIPATAYOTIN

The National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department opposes a plan to build a reservoir on Koh Samui for fear of environmental damage to pristine forests. The agency has just declared the area in tambon Angthong, designated a reservoir construction site, as Samui National Park. The move means the area will be governed by a strict environmental protection law.

Damrong Pidet, chief of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, said he did not agree with the project, initiated by the Irrigation Department, because forest cover on the island has already dwindled as a result of rapid development.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/10Aug2006_news11.php

I was just wondering here specifically all this de-forestation has occured and where the national parks are supposed to be!

Come to the southwest side of Koh Phangan and you will see the deforestation on Samui quite clearly. Great swathes of cleared land are highly visible from over here. And as far as I understand, most of the mountainous interior is national park, same as Koh Phangan.

Rooo... that is bad news about the reservoir tho, water is desperately needed in the dry season. They allow unrestricted growth and then won't support it. I expect the new reservoirs planned for Koh Phangan will receive similar scrutiny.

Parks agency opposes plan for reservoir on resort isle

APINYA WIPATAYOTIN

The National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department opposes a plan to build a reservoir on Koh Samui for fear of environmental damage to pristine forests. The agency has just declared the area in tambon Angthong, designated a reservoir construction site, as Samui National Park. The move means the area will be governed by a strict environmental protection law.

Damrong Pidet, chief of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, said he did not agree with the project, initiated by the Irrigation Department, because forest cover on the island has already dwindled as a result of rapid development.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/10Aug2006_news11.php

Reading on in the article it appears that they are intent on trying to push on with the project as it has local support. Water will be allocated for farming and the mayor wants it approved.