PM Prayut: Government will reclaim all encroached forests

[webfact]

PM Prayut: Government will reclaim all encroached forests



BANGKOK, 13 July 2015 (NNT) - The Prime Minister has pledged that the government will continue to reclaim all woodlands while initiating an integrative campaign to rehabilitate all deteriorated upstream forests.

Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha said during his weekly TV program “Returning Happiness to the People” that while the government is pursuing its policy to protect all natural resources, which are the national treasures, all Thais should be reminded to lend a hand in conserving them for the next generations.

He said that the Natural Resources Ministry had already been ordered to make an assessment on the encroachment at the upstream forest in the North where the origins of many rivers are.

Disturbingly, the PM said that around 800,000 people have encroached upon more than 8.6 million rai of forest land, resulting in an estimated economist loss of at least 469 billion baht.

He stated that all encroachers, particularly the people who have paid for such a move, will be prosecuted while the solution to such a problem will be a long-term and integrated process.

Gen Prayut added that the government would soon start the rehabilitation of the deteriorated upstream forest land on the higher ground before inviting all related agencies and locals to help in the program, which is set to take 20 years, or from 2015 to 2035.

-- NNT 2015-07-13

[Fat Haggis]

What ? No encroached beaches in your plans?

[cumgranosalum]

So will this include all the "encroachment" by the military and the mass destruction of forests they did in the 80s? The illegal logging that still continues around the western forest complex, those who are claiming to build dams and also giving access for poachers to encroach?...or will it just be those who the government don't like?

[Eric Loh]

Whatever happen to the house built on encroached illegal land by the former junta PM. Case went limp quickly.

[weegee]

Can my wife have her land back???? Which she is entitled to.....and has the Government papers to prove it.

[MockingJay]

...he forgot to add "...encroached by common, poor people..."

[oneday]

"...Government will reclaim all encroached forests..."

...and to hell with any poor people who get caught up in your righteous reclamation project.

"...Disturbingly, the PM said that around 800,000 people have encroached upon more than 8.6 million rai of forest land, resulting in an estimated economist loss of at least 469 billion baht..."

...so I suppose there won't be any economic repercussions as a result of the destruction you will rain on these people and the land they have been making a living on.

Now, I'm all for reclaiming National Forest land that should have never been cleared and used and if any of them are rich people then clear away, but any poor people caught in this should be given some consideration. Did they know they were encroaching? Were they just doing what others were doing? Were there any officials complicit in this encroachment? That's almost a certainty on the last question. Will you go after those officials?

[Acharn]

So will this include all the "encroachment" by the military and the mass destruction of forests they did in the 80s? The illegal logging that still continues around the western forest complex, those who are claiming to build dams and also giving access for poachers to encroach?...or will it just be those who the government don't like?

Yes, it's an unfortunate statement from the PM. I wish he wouldn't do that. The way in which areas already occupied for generations by farmers were designated "forest areas" and "degraded forest areas" in the '70s and '80s was both tragic and disgraceful. Not that that would bother the bureaucrats involved, who were just pleasing their bosses. The case of the Pak Moon Dam was particularly nasty, since it has never been useful for hydroelectric power, which was one of its main selling points outside of the conference rooms where the deals were really put together.

[fish fingers]

I wonder if that illegal private house on the island opposite Koh Lipe's Mountain resort will be reclaimed.. let's see.

[cumgranosalum]

What about all those luxury houses built illegally on hillsides on Samui?

[MockingJay]

Destroying the livelihood of 1.2% of the population will certainly have an impact and will not help with the popularity of this so called PM. Why doesn't he simply invent a time machine and turn it all back to the 1800s? Certainly he would feel very comfy there. You can't turn back time by force, even a complete imbecile would understand that.

[wabothai]

And then, may we have a list of ALL encroachers?

[tbthailand]

why are so many posters sceptical that only "squatters" will be kicked off land and not "resort owners" or other "business interests"???

[15Peter20]

Quick, Suthep! Get back in that temple!

[fgmr]

"...Government will reclaim all encroached forests..."

...and to hell with any poor people who get caught up in your righteous reclamation project.

"...Disturbingly, the PM said that around 800,000 people have encroached upon more than 8.6 million rai of forest land, resulting in an estimated economist loss of at least 469 billion baht..."

...so I suppose there won't be any economic repercussions as a result of the destruction you will rain on these people and the land they have been making a living on.

Now, I'm all for reclaiming National Forest land that should have never been cleared and used and if any of them are rich people then clear away, but any poor people caught in this should be given some consideration. Did they know they were encroaching? Were they just doing what others were doing? Were there any officials complicit in this encroachment? That's almost a certainty on the last question. Will you go after those officials?

I am glad that someone is making sense of this sorry saga. how far back are they going to delve? My understanding of Thai history tells me that there was a time post WW2 that a lot of forested land was given to those who cleared the forest and used the reclaimed land for agriculture. predominantly growing rice. My little gem's grandparents were amongst those who benefited from their labour.

[Fat Haggis]

Only Far enough back that only those connected to the Shins will be reclaimed, anything further back starts to upset the "clubs and cliques" so Surat Thani will be off limits, and Nakhon Ratchasima, Udon Thani, and Chiangmai will be blitzed !!

[fgmr]

"...Government will reclaim all encroached forests..."

...and to hell with any poor people who get caught up in your righteous reclamation project.

"...Disturbingly, the PM said that around 800,000 people have encroached upon more than 8.6 million rai of forest land, resulting in an estimated economist loss of at least 469 billion baht..."

...so I suppose there won't be any economic repercussions as a result of the destruction you will rain on these people and the land they have been making a living on.

Now, I'm all for reclaiming National Forest land that should have never been cleared and used and if any of them are rich people then clear away, but any poor people caught in this should be given some consideration. Did they know they were encroaching? Were they just doing what others were doing? Were there any officials complicit in this encroachment? That's almost a certainty on the last question. Will you go after those officials?

I might be wrong but your questions seem to border on naivety. Complicit officials! of course. Nepotism! Definitely. Patronage ! Certainly. I wonder just how many of the current middle and senior ranks of the government owe their positions to their antecedents who were never involved in these processes of natural survival in a culture that for centuries have adopted these tactics. Was this not the same in the preceding centuries in Europe and in some respects still exist today; except that these traits now involve the media and the entertainment industry.

Yes, if one wishes to make past wrongs right then adequately compensate the unfortunates involved.

Iknow of families living in my area who have been here for generations who are now being asked to prove their entitlement. The local land registry have not computerized their records and people are being passed files inches thick to peruse and prove their ownership. It is a worrying time for many law abiding folk.

[sabye]

I wonder if that illegal private house on the island opposite Koh Lipe's Mountain resort will be reclaimed.. let's see.

It is not a house it is a resort. That one is before the courts and may take years to finalize. The other encroachers and people who have built on Sor Kor 1 land on Lipe will come under this governments decision to clear them out. I expect that most of them will be knocked down soon.

[phoenixdoglover]

Bringing happiness to the people, one eviction at a time.

I love the natural environment, forests, and protected lands.

However, this policy as described is simplistic and poorly considered. And surely reform of land offices should be on the table as well.

This has a vindictive stench about it. One wonders about the PM's motivation.

[spidermike007]

I would love to see some statistics on what percentage of land that has been reclaimed from rich and powerful people still remains in government hands, and what percent has been reclaimed by the robber barons who claimed them previously. This guy is notorious for fabulously weak follow up work.

[Nobb]

Bull crap this junta government has lost face. Students freed and still harassing government government and unregistered boats still allowed to fish while breaking the law with the consent of the PM. I do not believe they will reclaim any thing since they let law breakers break the law and they will will reclaim them never. If you really like to see a corrupt free Thailand i do not think this junta or PM can do it!

[Ricardo]

Whatever happen to the house built on encroached illegal land by the former junta PM. Case went limp quickly.

IIRC the former-PM demolished the house within the deadline, and returned the land, after losing the court-case ?

Quite right too.

[Artisi]

"...Government will reclaim all encroached forests..."

...and to hell with any poor people who get caught up in your righteous reclamation project.

"...Disturbingly, the PM said that around 800,000 people have encroached upon more than 8.6 million rai of forest land, resulting in an estimated economist loss of at least 469 billion baht..."

...so I suppose there won't be any economic repercussions as a result of the destruction you will rain on these people and the land they have been making a living on.

Now, I'm all for reclaiming National Forest land that should have never been cleared and used and if any of them are rich people then clear away, but any poor people caught in this should be given some consideration. Did they know they were encroaching? Were they just doing what others were doing? Were there any officials complicit in this encroachment? That's almost a certainty on the last question. Will you go after those officials?

You can bet your balls that a lot of encroached land occupied by the the poor / peasant people were given the ok by "officials" for a consideration, and that wasn't a wai and a thank you.

[Artisi]

Subsistence farmers should be treated fairly, if it is imperative that they have to vacate, then maybe some alternate locations are put forward.