NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand – Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suchart Chomklin visited Thap Lan National Park to address ongoing land disputes and review forest conservation enforcement in Nakhon Ratchasima and Prachin Buri provinces. The Minister, accompanied by senior ministry officials, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), and related agencies, met with over 1,200 local residents in Soeng Sang district, Nakhon Ratchasima. The visit focused on clarifying the One Map boundary approach, land-rights verification procedures, and relevant legal processes. Officials outlined the criteria for reviewing land claims in communities with longstanding, unclear land-use documentation, especially those linked to previous state resettlement and security-development projects. The Minister also conducted an aerial survey of Soeng Sang, Khon Buri, and Wang Nam Khiao districts in Nakhon Ratchasima, and Na Di district in Prachin Buri to assess land use and conditions.
The Minister stated that the government aims to balance natural resource conservation with fairness for residents who lived in the area before the national park was declared. Rights verification will be conducted carefully, transparently, and on a plot-by-plot basis. Legal action will continue against forest encroachment and unlawful commercial use of protected areas. The Minister emphasized that the boundary review does not revoke Thap Lan National Park, but is intended to resolve community land-use issues and establish additional forest areas and buffer zones to protect ecosystems. The DNP has issued notices requiring the removal of structures at three resorts in Wang Nam Khiao district, where legal cases have reached final judgment. The ministry will compile findings and public feedback for submission to the Cabinet for further consideration. (NNT)
