Bangkok: Ordered to inspect 7.2 million rai of NBTC project land, officials have uncovered buying, selling, changing hands, and repossessing in every case. Chalermchai Sri-on, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, has vowed to reclaim forest areas that have been used incorrectly and sold to capitalists for durian cultivation. He instructed the Royal Forest Department to send a notification to the provincial governor, who chairs the provincial NBTC, to scrutinize and screen individuals eligible for land allocation. If any sales or transfers of rights are discovered, the land will be reclaimed and no rights will be granted again. The reclaimed land will be designated as community forests and public utility areas.
According to Thai News Agency, Minister Chalermchai has directed the Royal Forest Department to enforce the law rigorously in cases of forest encroachment in several Eastern region areas used for durian and rubber plantations. All such cases must be reclaimed and legal proceedings initiated. In instances where government agencies have requested land use but encroachment is found, the Royal Forest Department has reached out to those agencies, seeking their cooperation to expedite inspections and ensure that land use aligns with the intended purpose.
For land allocated for community use under the guidelines of the National Land Policy Committee (NLPC), the Royal Forest Department initially identified cases where villagers who received land transferred rights to capitalists for durian and rubber plantations. An example cited involves Forestry Department officials seizing a durian orchard in Tha Takieb District, Chachoengsao Province. Initially allocated as farmland for villagers by the NBTC, the area had been taken over by a private company and converted into a durian orchard.
Consequently, the Royal Forest Department has instructed the provincial governor, as the provincial NBTC chair, to expedite inspections. If any change of hands is detected, the land will be seized and repurposed as a community forest or public utility area. The Royal Forest Department is responsible for 7.2 million rai of land, which the Office of the National Land Policy Committee (NLPC) allocated to farmers. According to NLPC criteria and conditions, individuals can own land up to a maximum of 20 rai. If there is any sale or transfer of land violating these criteria, they will forfeit any rights.
This inspection and enforcement aim to prevent land misuse and ensure community access to agricultural land, guaranteeing that agricultural land supports those in need rather than foreign capital groups exploiting the nation's resources.