Rage over plan to raze Thai national park for farming

Public and private land are severed by a plan to reduce secured property.

Rage over plan to raze Thai national park for farming
A chart shows Thailand’s Thap Lan National Park

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation ( DNP ) is holding ongoing public hearings about a proposal to declare 265, 286 acres of land in Thap Lan National Park as no longer being protected forest land, easing the way for agricultural use in these areas.

While a number of the villagers, who began occupying portions of the area before the barrier of Thap Lan National Park was established, support the parting of the 265, 286 ray, some conservationists and other residents of the people disagree with the strategy, which the cabinet approved on March 14 of last year.

The Office of the National Land Policy Board ( ONLPB) put the finishing touches on the boundary lines on state land plots after the government made the decision to combine the various land-mapping methods used by various state agencies into a single system, known as One Map. The fresh procedure was implemented in 2000.

The DNP’s trials began on June 28 and will remain until Friday. The results from these communities, conducted both onshore and website, may be compiled and submitted to the president’s council on national parks for thought, said Natural Resources and Environment Minister Phatcharavat Wongsuwan.

History of problems

Despite the fact that these villagers have been fully allowed to live in about 58, 000 ray of the resort’s designated forest land, DNP key Attapol Charoenshunsa claimed that the land disputes between villagers who occupy Thap Lan forest land and park authorities have raged on for more than 40 years.

According to Pol Gen Phatcharavat, the national parks commission is expected to reach a decision on the subject in about a month, adding that public opinion may be taken into account. He serves even as chairman of the committee.

Of the 265, 286 ray, around 58, 000 ray has been occupied by a number of people since before it was declared Thap Lan National Park. They will generally benefit from the anticipated isolation, he said.

The national area today covers 1.3 million ray of forest area in Nakhon Ratchasima, Prachin Buri and Sa Kaeo regions.

Those who had recently purchased the land from some of these villagers wo n’t be able to use it and face legal action for encroachment of forest land, according to Pol Gen Phatcharavat.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, however, insisted last year’s government decision, now seen as a precursor to the cultural divisions sown by the plan to exclude the forest land from Thap Lan, will not be scrapped at this point pending further research.

He also made an effort to calm those who oppose the program because they fear that rich landowners will use the forest land for other purposes. According to Mr. Srettha, the law will be strictly enforced to guarantee that only those with an application have the right to use the property.

The hearings were held next Friday, and they were scheduled to end on Friday. According to Mr. Attapol, roughly 100 000 people will take part in them overall. ” I’m pleased to see that Thai people are so passionate about this issue. In the end, he said,” I think what is right and proper may remain chosen.”

Opposing accents

The ONLPB allegedly made an illegal plan to convert these storylines of forest area in Thap Lan into terrain for agricultural purposes, according to Panudet Kerdmali, the president of the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation.

There is no need to change the 265, 286 ra into farming property for poor dispossessed people, he said.

He cited underwater pictures of Thap Lan, which suggested that no portion of that property is being deforested, which might have justified repurposing it in this manner.

According to Mr. Panudet, any actions that result in the nation’s forest land growing lowering in size may be deemed a violation of Section 65 of the law and in violation of the president’s 20-year regional strategic plan.

The plan to split the 265, 286 ray of property from the park was largely supported by the majority of the 343 locals who had attended the public reading in Thap Lan last Thursday.