Only forestry reforms will end conflicts, Thai forum told

[webfact]

Only forestry reforms will end conflicts, forum told
Pratch Rujivanarom
The Nation

Law must be amended to allow private sector, the landless to manage forests

BANGKOK: -- LANDLESS people and the private sector should be allowed to manage forestlands and the laws should be amended to end the conflicts between state agencies and the landless, a forum on forest and land management was told yesterday.

More than 20 academics and officials from related agencies joined the forum, which was hosted by the Thailand Research Fund.

Land and forestry conflicts have raged for at least five decades.

As many authority-community conflicts remained unsettled, Itthiphon Srisalwalak, the forum's coordinator, said the government-issued policies and laws did not consider the people and promoted disparity and conflicts with the authorities.

"The current forestry laws focus on keeping the people out of the forests and do not promote public participation in forest management," Itthiphon said.

"We need a rethink so that forest management is about the participation of all stakeholders, not only the government.

"Therefore, the forestry laws should be amended to let the communities and local authorities manage the forests together, or switch the government's duty to that of just a regulator."

Itthiphon pointed out the government's unrealistic plan to reclaim encroached land so as to boost the country's forestland from 30 per cent to 40 per cent put pressure on lower-ranked authorities, which led to severe measures on the landless as they tried to hit their targets.

"The community plot policy could be the best way out of this problem. Many governments tried so hard to protect the forest areas but the forests are still being steadily reduced," he said.

"Why don't we let the people in the forests look after the forests for us by granting them the right to live on their land and protect the community forest."

Sompon Issawilanon, an economics expert from the Knowledge Network Institute of Thailand, suggested that some forestland should be preserved and be people-free because the current economics trend was moving towards products from biodiversity.

Sompon said to increase the forest areas, the government should issue better financial benefits to attract people and the private sector to protect forests rather than use hard measures to reclaim land.

Itthiphon agreed with this idea, saying there was a lot of abandoned land outside forest areas that could undergo reforestation.

"The government may support the private sector growing the forestry plantations on this empty land and also encourage the people to grow and protect the forests by paying them money," he said.

"If we pay the corn farmers more money than they will gain from selling corn, they will not encroach on the forests to expand their fields."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Only-forestry-reforms-will-end-conflicts-forum-tol-30263365.html


-- The Nation 2015-06-30

[Thai at Heart]

Where in the world do private companies manage national parks?

[worgeordie]

Private sector,yes they will put everything before profit,

If the Forest Rangers could find the encroacher's and resort

owners BEFORE the forests are logged and resorts are built

that would be a good first step,

So called landless farmers more often than not, just seem to

be proxies for the rich and influential.

regards Worgeordie

[halloween]

Reconciliation in Thailand means letting the criminals do what they want (or paying them to stop).

Edited June 30, 2015 by halloween

[h90]

Where in the world do private companies manage national parks?

I think they mean more, cut all the weed and make some nice rubber farms. Not national parks.

And private sector means: 5-10 richest family will share it fair between themself

"should be amended to let the communities and local authorities manage the forests together"

If the government manage it, than you may have some pesty official who isn't corrupt and delays everything for years or even leak details to the newspapers. Or one is doing the corrupt thing again and again and figures out how much he can really charge.

Puh Yai from Nakhon Nowhere is happy if you buy him a new Pickup...much cheaper than some professional Bangkok official.

[connda]

Where in the world do private companies manage national parks?

Greece? Look for the coming of the new paradigm: Sell the countries national treasuries off to the mega-elite to do as they wish, and screw everyone else.

[oldsailor35]

I am looking for a one way flight from BNE to BKK but can only find a reasonable seat in a Virgin Air "sardine can" with carry on baggage only.

[timber]

Governments and politicians normally don't understand the environment or anything to do with it.

Keep it simple. A simple mission statement that governs input, and then knowledgeable people formulating

rules and regulations that will enhance that mission statement. If everyone starts imputing rules and regulations

as per their gut feelings things will just get worse. Got to be a plan, guys. Every one will benefit, from the bottom to the top. Let's not give a few people big bucks, and avoid the opportunity for community forests, expanded industry and resultant jobs, and the buy in by the average joe in Thailand.