NRSA says punishments for forest encroachment should be more severe

Thammarat Thadaphrom

 

 

Bangkok, 11 September 2016 (NNT) – The National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) has suggested that penalties for forest encroachment should be more severe. 

Yongyuth Sarasombath, chairman of the NRSA's bureaucratic administration committee, has proposed that measures and laws against forest invasion should be harsher; this would also allow related agencies to work better in collaboration. 

He said the aim is to increase forest areas by 40 percent in accordance with the country’s strategic plan which seeks to stop all unauthorized activities in forest areas and promote reforestation. 

He went on to say that title deeds should be approved by a court in order to prevent bribery and corrupt practices; the assets of those who are found guilty of encroaching should be confiscated; while the crime of forest invasion should be seen as similar to money laundering. 

Lastly he suggested that in the short run, the government should invoke Article 44 of the interim constitution in a determined bid to fend off all encroachment on natural resources. 

 

 

-- nnt 2016-09-11

Wow, another rare lightbulb moment. 

fantastic idea, fully agree, how in the hell do they hope to stop it when they do bugger all to those committing the offence, they need to seize assets and make them re pay any money made from their activities as well as to pay for returning the land to the way it was. Unfortunately the authorities dont do any of it, they simply let them walk away, there has to be a lot more severe penalties that are enforced to the maximum allowed

The punishment of many many offences should be more severe, and the courts should not be allowed to lessen these punishments.

 

Imagine, pistol whipping is an act that is fined only Bt500. A meal at Oishi Buffet costs more...

It would also be great if they could catch the encroachers BEFORE they

cut all the trees down,then just notice the fact after a resort or houses

have been operating for years.stealing land is no different than robbing

a bank,so sentences should reflect that.

regards worgeordie

The picture in the OP looks like a scar.

Of course......the punishment that would be dealt out to would be encroachers.....will largely depend on whether one drives a Honda Wave or a Benz.....

But seriously, if forest "stealing" continues, and it doesn't seem to be stopping.....droughts will worsen, erosion will be un-managable and wildlife will disappear.

A big part of the problem actually rests with Thailand's complex land title system.

 

The aptly-named bureaucratic administration committee should be seeking to clarify land title rather than concocting harsher measures and laws against forest invasion.

 

Some caution needs to be exercised when defining forest encroachment, as it could be applied to people who have a legal right to the land under certain titles: Nor Sor Sam, Nor Sor Sam Gor, Sor Kor Nung, Nor Sor Song, and Sor Por Gor 4-01.

 

The circumstances should dictate the punishment, and the letter of the law needs to be applied with proper interpretation.

 

A person (or family) that (by definition) "encroaches" on land that their family had a legal right to use MUST be treated differently than a person or company buying this land from the original "holder" in the full knowledge that their action is illegal.

Lets have a Ministry for Punishments, when the good general/PM adjusts his cabinet in the next few weeks.  Then we might have some meaningful punishments for all criminal offences, which would deter rather than cause the current amusement amongst perpetrators.

Hark I hear a faint nugget of truth in the forest.