Luxury resorts ordered to vacate Ubon Ratchathani park
Pha Taem National Park has issued an administrative order to occupants at four luxury resorts in Ubon Ratchathani’s Khong Jiam district requiring them to vacate the premises and demolish structures in the area by November 30, park head Nakarin Suthattho said on Tuesday.
The occupants have also been ordered to restore the area to its original state.
The four resorts are Ban Mai Hom, owned by television news reporter Nila Singkhiri; Ruan Kayom Resort, which is on land leased by Pattanapong Sangkhapat, son of a former Khong Jiam district chief Suwatchai Sangkhapat; Srichai River Inn, owned by former deputy mayor of Maha Sarakham’s Payak Phumpisai municipality Bodin Srichai; and Bandin Pha Taem (Ban Din Homestay), owned by Preutthisit Boonthon.
The order stemmed from a park police complaint two years ago that led to an Ubon Ratchathani court ruling that the resorts encroached on the park’s forestland and also areas of the Dong Phu Lon reserve forest.
Because the resort owners had bought the land from other parties, they were spared criminal charges based on the judgement that they had not intended to encroach on protected land, Nakarin said.
If the owners fail to comply with the order, officials will carry out the actions and bill them for the expenses, he added.
Nakarin said the four resorts could still file an appeal of the order to him within 15 days, which would have to be submitted in writing and include convincing arguments.
