Operation 'White Shark' to inspect, seize swathes of encroached mangroves, Phuket coastal plots
Darawan Naknakhon


Mr Sakda (second left) led today's inspections, at an undisclosed golf course and shrimp farm in Thalang.

PHUKET: -- Authorities today launched Operation “White Shark” in a collaborated effort to reclaim as much as 2,200 rai (352 hectares) of encroachment-suspect mangroves in Phuket.

As part of the 23-province operation led by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resouces (DMCR), in Phuket authorities are specifically targeting 34 plots spanning some 2,200 rai (about 352 hectares) of coastal land, and which includes large chunks of land at a golf course, marina and shrimp farm.

The inspections, which commenced on Sunday, and will continue through to Tuesday, are being carried out in cooperation with representatives from multiple government departments and divisions.

Among officials overseeing the operation are Mr. Sakda Wichiansin, deputy director-general at the DMCR of the Ministry of Natural Resources; Admiral Sathaporn Wajarat, Deputy Director of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) in Phuket; Wacharin Thinklang, director of the office of marine and coastal resources management region 6 (OMCRM6) and Pongsaphak Hiebsakagoon, director of the coastal forest and mangrove forest conservation division; along with various representatives from the departments of forestry, national parks, wildlife, fauna and flora.

The Phuket inspection team, comprising 200 officials, have been split into eight teams to inspect a total of 34 suspected plots throughout the island.

Overseeing inspections on Sunday, Mr Sakda Wichiansin examined paperwork for plots at a popular golf course on the north of the island.

The land in question, which was denoted as “Por Khor 29” in Moo 4 of Thalang’s Thepkrasattri sub district, spanned a total of 82 rai, and was registered under eight chanode land titles.

After documenting details of the land titles in question, the inspection team next went to inspect land at Khlong Tha Reua, in Sisunthon’s Moo 3, a shrimp farm spanning about 400 rai, where they met a “private” resident who presented a lease agreement, which authorities documented and vowed to “take to the next step”.

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/operation-white-shark-to-inspect-seize-swathes-of-encroached-mangroves-phuket-coastal-plots-57637.php


-- Phuket News 2016-05-30

I've seen the encroachment in other places in Thailand. I just left a mangrove forest area used as a dump site. Pretty nasty to say the least.

11 mangrove forests to be reclaimed from property developers in Phuket

PHUKET, 30 May 2016 (NNT) - The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) held a meeting to restore and reclaim mangrove forests in Phuket province that have suffered from encroachment.

DMCR Deputy Director General Sakda Wichiansilp attended the meeting on Sunday with a special operation unit called ‘White Shark’. The group consists of soldiers, police officers, officials from the DMCR and those from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

The team will move to reclaim mangrove forests that have have suffered from development activities, including the construction of hotels, resorts, shrimp farms and golf clubs. Legal action will be pursued via the 1941 Forest Act and the 1964 National Reserved Forest Act.

More than 1,000 rai of mangrove forests are believed to have been encroached upon by property developers and farmers. Authorities have already begun examining land deeds and their legality. They will continue to inspect more places until Tuesday.


-- NNT 2016-05-30

My question is who let them steal this land in the first place , and why are there no officials in the dock.

My question is who let them steal this land in the first place , and why are there no officials in the dock.

Dirty southern politicians?

Just check who was involved in issuing chanote titles to land whose original documents were not eligable to be upgraded to same. The saler, buyer are of record on chanote and the land office officials involved / responsible for issue of chanote will be easy enough to know as they to will be on record also.

Just depends on how serious they are in going after after, exposing and bring to justice what the PM refers to as '' bad guys'', if these are not legally obtained documents and encroachment has taken place.

Will the encrochers who paid money to corrupt officials for the privilege get their money back? If not will there be retaliation?

Lots of talking and announcements, lets see results. Name, shame, convict, jail time.

Ten charged in White Shark inspection so far
Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: -- Ten land owners are being charged after a Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) team investigated 24 plots of land for alleged mangrove encroachment on Phuket.

The investigations are part of a nationwide operation to reclaim ‘national treasures’ across 24 provinces. The team will inspect a total 34 plots of land covering about 2,200 rai on the island (story here).

The team, dubbed ‘White Shark’, consists of about 120 officers, and is led by DMCR Deputy Director-General Sakda Wichiansin. It includes officials from the Royal Forest Department (RFD), Department of National Parks Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) and Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC).

Full Story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Ten-charged-White-Shark-inspection-far/63972?desktopversion#ad-image-0

-- Phuket Gazette 2016-05-30

"Ten land owners are being charged..........." - why only go after the "demand?" Why not also go after the "supply."

My question is who let them steal this land in the first place , and why are there no officials in the dock.

You haven't lived here very long have you?

My question is who let them steal this land in the first place , and why are there no officials in the dock.

You do not understand local culture. No-one is to blame. Just like fires in hill-tribe boarding schools, these things just happen on their own by pure accident or pre-determination. Therefore, no one is ever actually needs to be held responsible.

My question is who let them steal this land in the first place , and why are there no officials in the dock.

You do not understand local culture. No-one is to blame. Just like fires in hill-tribe boarding schools, these things just happen on their own by pure accident or pre-determination. Therefore, no one is ever actually needs to be held responsible.

According to the TV experts life is cheap in Thailand and justice is handed out not via the courts. So with a lot of money involved I would expect the responsible persons to be terminated soon. Unless the experts are wrong of course.

My question is who let them steal this land in the first place , and why are there no officials in the dock.

You do not understand local culture. No-one is to blame. Just like fires in hill-tribe boarding schools, these things just happen on their own by pure accident or pre-determination. Therefore, no one is ever actually needs to be held responsible.

According to the TV experts life is cheap in Thailand and justice is handed out not via the courts. So with a lot of money involved I would expect the responsible persons to be terminated soon. Unless the experts are wrong of course.

I dont have time for the TV experts, but this time stevenl, you are exhibiting your complete lack of knowledge of how things operate in the LOS.

According to the TV experts life is cheap in Thailand and justice is handed out not via the courts. So with a lot of money involved I would expect the responsible persons to be terminated soon. Unless the experts are wrong of course.

Steven ... who are the 'responsible pesons' who will be terminated.

As far as I can see the responsible people are ...

Among officials overseeing the operation are Mr. Sakda Wichiansin, deputy director-general at the DMCR of the Ministry of Natural Resources; Admiral Sathaporn Wajarat, Deputy Director of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) in Phuket; Wacharin Thinklang, director of the office of marine and coastal resources management region 6 (OMCRM6) and Pongsaphak Hiebsakagoon, director of the coastal forest and mangrove forest conservation division; along with various representatives from the departments of forestry, national parks, wildlife, fauna and flora.

Do you really think any of them will be terminated .... I think not ...

According to the TV experts life is cheap in Thailand and justice is handed out not via the courts. So with a lot of money involved I would expect the responsible persons to be terminated soon. Unless the experts are wrong of course.

Steven ... who are the 'responsible pesons' who will be terminated.

As far as I can see the responsible people are ...

Among officials overseeing the operation are Mr. Sakda Wichiansin, deputy director-general at the DMCR of the Ministry of Natural Resources; Admiral Sathaporn Wajarat, Deputy Director of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) in Phuket; Wacharin Thinklang, director of the office of marine and coastal resources management region 6 (OMCRM6) and Pongsaphak Hiebsakagoon, director of the coastal forest and mangrove forest conservation division; along with various representatives from the departments of forestry, national parks, wildlife, fauna and flora.

Do you really think any of them will be terminated .... I think not ...

No, I was referring to the people who signed of on permissions and chanotes in the past.

My question is who let them steal this land in the first place , and why are there no officials in the dock.

You do not understand local culture. No-one is to blame. Just like fires in hill-tribe boarding schools, these things just happen on their own by pure accident or pre-determination. Therefore, no one is ever actually needs to be held responsible.

According to the TV experts life is cheap in Thailand and justice is handed out not via the courts. So with a lot of money involved I would expect the responsible persons to be terminated soon. Unless the experts are wrong of course.

I dont have time for the TV experts, but this time stevenl, you are exhibiting your complete lack of knowledge of how things operate in the LOS.

And why is that?

I think nothing will happen, and in the end, can take some time, they'll lose most of the land.

No, I was referring to the people who signed of on permissions and chanotes in the past.

Have any of ever heard of any Phuket land official being taken to court or even jailed. I remeber a very few cases where a land official was named and they immedialtely fled the island never to be caught.

No-one is ever held responsible. Only the current illegal land owner looses the land or more likely pays more money to the current officials to 'sort out' the land title.

It's just a big merry-go-round.

My question is who let them steal this land in the first place , and why are there no officials in the dock.

Dirty southern politicians?

According to the experts of TVF, this is all the fault of Thaksin, Redshirts, Yingluck etc. despite these zones being allied with Suthep the boss of palm oil.

"Ten land owners are being charged..........." - why only go after the "demand?" Why not also go after the "supply."

Hurt the demand and the supply will suffer..

Hurt supply and the demand increases.

I accept that it is not that simple.