Director-General of the National Park Department explains the cutting of 260,000 rai of land in Tap Lan National Park in the hope of solving the problem of land use.

Government House, Director-General of the National Park Department reveals that he is expediting the opening of public hearings - online, on the issue of cutting 260,000 rai of land in Tap Lan National Park to the Sor Por Kor. Hoping to solve the problem of farming, but people who do not have the qualifications - encroaching will not be exempted. Prepare to summarize and collect opinions within 30 days. Mr. Atthaphon Charoenchansa, Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, mentioned the case of hearing public opinions to proceed with dividing the area of ??Thap Lan National Park, Nakhon Ratchasima Province - Prachin Buri Province, 260,000 rai, to be taken care of by the ALRO, that the problem of the disputed area in the Thap Lan National Park area has been around for more than 40 years because before it became a national park, it was a reserved forest and an area was allocated for those who developed the Thai nation to enter and farm, an area of ??approximately 5 8,000 rai. But after that, the national park was announced to cover this area as well, which was considered a shortcoming of the Royal Forest Department in the past. Therefore, there was a request to exclude the area from the national park and a new survey of the area in 2000, but the process did not reach its destination. Many past governments have tried to solve the problem for the villagers and there was a meeting of the National Land Policy Committee or ALRO and there was a resolution to reserve 265,000 rai of community land as ALRO land, and the Cabinet approved it on March 14, 2023. However, anyone who has been prosecuted in the area will not be exempted. Mr. Atthaphon revealed that from the said resolution, the Department of National Parks must proceed with the adjustment of the boundary, but to do so, it must listen to the opinions of the people both in the area and the people nationwide, which is currently in progress and will end on July 12 before collecting and presenting to the National Park Comm ittee for consideration within 30 days to pass a resolution to present to the Cabinet. Importantly, it must adhere to the facts, both in terms of living and caring for the forest, because of the 265,000 rai, there are both people who originally lived there from the allocation of the area and people who came to buy it as second and third parties, including the resort group that has been sued for more than 12,000 rai. Many people think that the Cabinet resolution on March 14, 2023 is a favor for capitalists. The Director-General of the National Parks Department explained that the previous government tried to solve the problem of farmland for villagers. Therefore, it is believed that it should be made into state land. And the ALRO is considered state land. Therefore, the ALRO must come in and consider and examine who has the right. As for the National Parks Department, it must consider it together at the National Park Committee level to present to the Cabinet. I still think that people who do not have the legal qualifications will still not be qualified to own land because I am worried that if the land is allocated, it will have an impact so that the resort capitalists can operate. As for how much land the people will be allocated and who will get it, Mr. Atthaphon stated that it must be discussed at the National Park Committee level because each person's qualifications are different. Some people are still living there, some come to buy and sell, some change hands, and some come to buy and sell. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the qualifications of those who own state land. When asked whether the Cabinet resolution to proceed according to the map that was re-surveyed in 2000 would be able to change the resolution, Mr. Atthaphon stated that it was a matter that needed to be considered and was a proposal from the National Park Committee, which was currently listening to opinions from both locals and online. However, everything had to end with the National Park Committee to present to the NBTC or the Cabinet. If there was a resolution to proceed according to the map that was re-surveyed in 2000, the National Park Department would have to come and survey to adjust the map at the end of the new law. Source: Thai News Agency