National Park Authority Files Complaint Over Forest Encroachment in Ranong
National park authorities have filed a complaint over organized encroachment affecting 643 rai across 29 plots in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park in Ranong, with officials prioritizing prosecution of three plots showing the clearest evidence
The Department of National Parks has filed a complaint with the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division (NRECD) regarding organized encroachment on Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park in Ranong, affecting 29 plots covering approximately 643 rai. Officials are urgently coordinating with the Land Department to revoke illegally obtained titles and are conducting strict investigations into potentially implicated state officials, with evidence linking to decisive legal proceedings.
On July 13, senior officials including the Secretary to the Natural Resources and Environment Minister, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, and the head of the Tiger Unit presented evidence to the NRECD Commander to file charges and prosecute the case. Officials plan to pursue initial proceedings on three plots totaling 66 rai with the clearest evidence, including aerial photographs showing dramatic inconsistencies.
The first plot originally documented as 6 rai has been resurveyed at approximately 45 rai, with roughly 15 rai encroaching into the national park. The second plot measures approximately 57 rai with over 45 rai overlapping park boundaries, while the third plot expanded from a documented 1 rai to approximately 50 rai with over 4 rai of park encroachment. All plots claim agricultural use, but historical aerial photographs clearly show the land remained natural forest, coastal zones, and sandbars with no evidence of agricultural activity prior to 1994.
Officials have also identified an additional 12 rai of cleared and cultivated land outside documented title areas but within park boundaries, bringing the total encroached forest in the initial phase to approximately 78 rai. Authorities will continue investigating the remaining 26 overlapping plots in coordination with national oversight agencies including the NACC, NAPO, and DSI, and are preparing civil cases to recover damages to natural resources.
