Illegal Resort Owner Agrees To Demolition At Tabu Lan National Park
The owner of Imphuphill Resort has agreed to demolish the illegal structure within Tabu Lan National Park after the government ordered removal of all encroaching facilities on the protected land.
On July 2, 2026, Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin announced progress on resolving overlapping land claims between Tabu Lan National Park boundaries and local residents' farmland. The government is pursuing a balanced approach that verifies the original rights of local residents fairly and transparently while strictly enforcing laws against forest encroachers, particularly wealthy entrepreneurs, hotel operators, and resort owners who violated regulations.
The minister revealed that Tabu Lan National Park previously issued a notice ordering Assavanont Nirandr, owner of Imphuphill Resort, to demolish all structures within 15 days starting June 28, 2026, following completion of legal proceedings. On July 1, Assavanont requested permission to conduct the demolition himself, and on July 2 at 10 a.m., he met with park officials and submitted a formal request to begin dismantling all structures of Imphuphill Resort, starting immediately.
The park chief instructed the owner to accelerate demolition and restore the area to its natural state as quickly as possible. Conservation officials have been ordered to closely monitor, inspect, and track the demolition process while submitting regular progress reports to ensure legal compliance and proper execution.
Suchart reiterated that this action demonstrates the government's serious commitment to resolving Tabu Lan National Park's land encroachment issues, following the principle of "protecting those with legitimate rights while holding violators accountable." Local residents' land rights will be verified fairly in all cases, while illegal forest encroachers face strict legal enforcement and must demolish structures and return land to the state once courts issue final judgments, thereby restoring natural resources and ensuring equal enforcement of the law.
