Thai Minister Orders Action After Waste Factory Land Rights Found
Thailand’s Natural Resources and Environment Minister Sukchai Chumklin said an investigation of waste factories in Prachinburi uncovered three disputed N.S.3 Kor land title documents covering 77 rai inside a national forest reserve. He has ordered government agencies to verify the claims and take legal action, with a police report already filed. The ministry pledged to continue monitoring the case to ensure a transparent and lawful resolution.
On October 14, 2026, Minister Sukchai Chumklin announced the findings of an inspection into twelve industrial waste factories in Prachinburi that were alleged to operate inside a national forest reserve. The inspection showed that the factories were relying on three N.S.3 Kor land documents that together cover 77 rai, 3 ngan and 97 square wa of the Khaew Rabom–Si Yat National Forest Reserve. The minister assigned Nipon Sirojananon, director-general of the Forestry Department, to lead the fact‑finding investigation. Officials discovered that the land had been transferred to the Land Reform Office in 1993 as part of the state’s agricultural land‑reform program. On July 7, 2026, forestry officers filed a police report at the Rang Bophai Police Station in Prachinburi to document the alleged encroachment. On July 21, 2026, the provincial forestry office sent a letter to the Prachinburi Land Office requesting verification of the three N.S.3 Kor documents, citing concerns that they may overlap the protected reserve. Minister Sukchai said the ministry will continue to monitor the case, coordinate with all relevant agencies, and ensure any action taken is lawful, transparent and fair.
