Today’s Bangkok Post had a more detailed article on the Wang Nam Khieo encroachment story and the Royal Forest Department in Korat – Residents up in arms over orders to raze resorts.

To me, the Royal Forest Department (RFD) should be the ones up in arms over the idiots claiming that nothing wrong has been done.

Royal Forest Department

This is very typical in Thailand – first you deny any wrongdoing and then you deflect back to the accusers and try to blame them for your mistakes. In this case, it is blame the Royal Forest Department.

Residents who work in the tourism sector, and tourism operators are calling on the department to find a compromise rather than tear down the resorts as it was threatening to do, as many jobs could be lost.

Maybe someone should have done a land survey in the first place then this wouldn’t have happened.  Why should there be a compromise.  If these resort and hotel owners broke the law, then pay the consequences.  The Royal Forest Department should not be held hostage by a couple of greedy Thai businessmen.

The group, led by Choon Sirichaikhirikosol, president of Nakhon Ratchasima provincial administration organisation, also demanded provincial governor Rapee Phongbuphakit issue an order prohibiting the RFD from taking any action.

Last time I checked, the Royal Forest Department is a Thai Government Agency and ABOVE the local governor.

Mr Choon dismissed the RFD’s allegations that resort operators in Wang Nam Khieo had encroached on forest areas, as the resorts are situated on former agricultural land.

Can Mr. Choon produce a map or two or the results from government surveyors? I am sure that he has told all the folks working in the tourist arena that he is right and that the Royal Forest Department is wrong without providing any proof.

“The allegations are groundless and have damaged the reputation of the Wang Nam Khieo people,” he said.

I seriously doubt that the allegations are groundless or else the Royal Forest Department would not have notified folks that they were going to tear down their resorts for encroaching.  And, more talk about losing face and having one’s reputation damaged.  I know a lot of places where trespassers get shot on site.

Mr Choon said tourism operators had followed environmental laws and did not destroy forest areas as alleged.

I also seriously doubt this too as I have seen many, many resorts and hotels that totally disregard the environment in Thailand.  I am sure that the Royal Forest Department can provide proof.

Samer Chindapong, chairman of Nakhon Ratchasima’s Tourism Operators Association, said any drastic action against resort operators allegedly encroaching on protected forest land would destroy tourism in the district.

No, it won’t.  It will only destroy the resorts that are illegally encroaching on forest land.  Drastic actions are sometimes the only solutions especially when dealing with people that have no regard for the law.  The Royal Forest Department should do everything it can within the law to protect the forest.

“Aggressive action will only hurt tourism, which will result in a drop in revenue in the province,” Mr Samer said.

No, it will HELP tourism by returning the forest land back to the Royal Forest Department.  Whether it will be a drop in revenue remains to be seen, but I doubt it.

The RFD announced last week it would take legal action against the owners of at least 20 bungalows and resorts suspected of encroaching on Phu Luang forest reserve in Wang Nam Khieo district.

This is not one guy camping out on Royal Forest Department property.  This looks like some major developers that have either disregarded the law or perhaps paid some tea money to get permission to build on Thai Forestry Land.

If an investigation finds they encroached on the land, the RFD will demolish the structures.

As they should – no compromise should be offered by the Royal Forest Department and along with demolishing the resorts, back rent/lease money should be charged.  Folks should also go to jail if found guilty.

On Wednesday, officials will give notice at the first eight bungalows and resorts found to be located inside the protected forest area.

So, in a couple of days, we will have even more bitching, griping, and groaning against the Royal Forest Department from these two guys about how their image has been damaged.  Tough shit.

Mr Samer, however, warned that any hostility displayed while doing do could lead to conflict between residents and state authorities.

Sounds like a threat against the Royal Forest Department to me and also shows that the Bangkok Post didn’t proofread their article.

He said the department was partly to blame for the forest encroachment as authorities were negligent in preventing it from happening in the first place. “It is difficult to enforce the law now that the resorts have been built,” he said.

More deflection – blame the Royal Forest Department for your mistake/thievery.  And, it is not difficult to enforce the law now – it is quite simple – if your encroached, the Royal Forestry Department will bulldoze your resort.  And, then press charges against you.  Simple.

“The department should not have allowed the structures from day one.”

Yep, blame the Royal Forestry Department when you should have had a survey conducted to see where the official boundaries were.

Mr Samer suggested the department should work harder on forest protection efforts to prevent new cases of encroachment by resort operators.

No, first get rid of the current folks who are encroaching and then set up a system where the Royal Forestry Department has to approve any building in the area.

Krit Sumangsa, president of the Rak Khao Yai Network, agreed extreme action against resort operators would affect residents working in tourism-related businesses. He urged the department to hold talks with the public and resort operators to seek proper solutions.

The time for talk has long passed.  The notices have been sent out by the Royal Forest Department and the razing will begin soon.  Tough.

Operators of resorts in the protected area might have to pay a land lease fee and adhere to forest protection regulations in return for being allowed to stay.

I don’t know where this comes from.  Maybe if the Royal Forest Department agrees to some sort of settlement (which I doubt) there should be fines and fees for all the past months/years that these folks have used Forest Land for their resorts.  And, getting them to adhere to forest protection regulations will be a pain in the ass for the RFD to have to oversee.

I would really like to hear the RFD’s side of the story, but the article only gives one side (as usual).  I hope that their satellite imagery and any land surveys or maps shows that the Royal Forest Department is correct and that they follow through with the razing.

Tags: encroach korat royal forest department tourism trespass