Residents slam survey result on Thailand”s Thap Lan National Park

NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Residents in Wang Nam Khieo district of this Thai northeastern province have cried foul over the result of last week’s online survey in which an overwhelming majority disagreed with allocating part ofThap Lan National Parkfor farming.

879, 595 of the survey’s respondents, or 95 % of those surveyed, oppose changing the park’s limit and allowing farming to occur on the property. Another 43, 303 people, or 4.7 %, were in favour.

The survey’s goal was to collect information on whether residents of the park should be able to farm and live in portions of the 260, 000-rai park that merged with native community zones.

The survey found that 96 % of respondents were general public residents and those whose lives were directly impacted by the park’s demarcation. &nbsp,

The Thai Samakkee Tambon Administrative Organisation ( TAO ), led by its chair, Prakob Siriwongtaosaard, on Monday met locals in the park area to compile documents on the disputed land. A House section will be given the task of resolving the issue, according to the files. &nbsp,

The files are expected to be presented wednesday, and citizens will be testifying before the board, too.

According to Mr. Prakob, the TAO also has resources management issues because regional development projects must first be submitted to the national parks council for approval.

But some initiatives are rejected, making territory development in the area really hard. ” We hope the House board can support us”, said Mr Prakob.

Objectivity questioned

However, Wang Nam Khieo naturalist, Boripat Sunthorn, said protecting the national park may go hand in hand with supporting local citizens who occupied forest area before it was declared a national park.

He said it was a good sign, judging from the poll, that public knowledge of forest protection is growing.

He questioned the regional park’s role in the controversy, and why it was authorized to conduct the survey. Additionally, the government was given inaccurate information about the forest land string, which led to a survey that turned out to be unfair to the locals. &nbsp,

The study, he added, should have been carried out by a government agency balanced on the subject. &nbsp,

He added that many of the Mun River protection group’s members who had participated in forestry, fire, and animals surveillance activities in the area are members of the Mun River protection group.

However, Mr. Boripat urged businesses to talk with locals about the issue so they can promote bush protection.

Kittapat Chainok, a citizen, said the poll effect was cruel. The majority of respondents were uninterested in the debate and did not have sufficient information to react in a timely manner.