D-Day in war against forest encroachers

NATURAL RESOURCES and Environment Minister General Dapong Rattanasuwan yesterday revealed that operations against forestland encroachers nationwide would be under way from June 1.

Evidence, including aerial images of the targeted areas, has been compiled and is ready, he said. Any problems and obstacles emerging from this operation will be regarded as lessons for future operations. 

Dapong outlined policies for forestland-reclaiming operations in the Northeast to 300 officials from 20 provinces at the Suranaree Camp in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Muang district yesterday.

He urged the joint operations to reclaim state land and forestland from encroachers, particularly investors, to be intensive and with clear action plans. 

Citing a report that 400,000 rai (64,000 hectares) had been encroached by para-rubber plantations – of which 71,600 rai was in the Northeast – Dapong said the operations would focus on these para-rubber investors and influential figures and urged officials to be confident in fighting them.

He urged officials not to believe those citing positions or connections to avoid punishment and affirmed he would ensure disciplinary and criminal punishment to any officials found to be involved.

As for encroachers who were poor villagers, the rule of law would be applied – but along with a political consideration: They would be given remedial measures according to the prime minister’s policy of “taking care of the poor”. 

“This matter will be discussed with the land allocation committee … Villagers living on [government] lands will be given leniency according to a 1998 Cabinet resolution, so they should not be worried. People should abide by the rules and must not expand any further,” Dapong said. 

Meanwhile, the Esaan Land Reform Network, a non-governmental organisation, early this week reported on the plight of 82-year-old Chantha Bangthong, whose 2,000 rubber trees on 18 rai of land in Sakon Nakhon’s Waritchaphum district were destroyed last Friday by Phu Pha Lek National Park officials and soldiers. As the grace period for her debt with the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives would soon end, Chantha said she had until next year to start repaying debt at Bt25,000 a year for 10 years. 

Chantha received this plantation from making use of a plot in 1985. She turned to growing rubber trees as the government in 2007 promoted it as a high-profit crop. “The plantation was our hope and last refuge and it was destroyed,” she said.

The Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) and the Second Army Region yesterday inspected a 10-bungalow resort in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Chong district accused of encroaching 100 rai of Dong Phayayen Forest. PACC investigator Thanawat Sanitsakdee said a tip revealed that a senior policeman had joined with investors to build this resort and sell several nearby plots. 

The place was initially found to have no land-rights documents and none claimed ownership. 

Forestry officials were authorised by law to demolish the buildings immediately, he added.