Govt tackles intrusion in forest areas
The cabinet has approved a plan to stiffen the regulation of people who live in forest areas, according to government spokesman Buddhipongse Punnakanta.
The plan was proposed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to the cabinet on Monday.
The plan is meant to deal with people who have intruded into forest land. The ministry classified five groups of forest encroachers subject to regulation.
The first group deals with those who lived in the natural forest reserves, defined as Watershed Class 3-5, before a cabinet resolution aimed at dealing with those who live on the land was passed on June 30, 1998.
Referring to this group, Mr Buddhipongse said the National Land Policy Committee and agencies dealing with land allocation will be authorised to grant permits to these people to stay and collectively make use of the land. They will be allowed to stay on the land from five to 30 years, he said.
The second concerns those who settled in the Watershed Class 3-5 natural forest reserves after the cabinet resolution was passed.
The spokesman said this group will be allowed to live and collectively make use of the land, but they are also required to move according to the reforestation process, covering at least 50% of the areas. They must also avoid any further encroachment.
The third group refers to people living in the natural forest reserves classified as Watershed Class 1-2, who lived on the land before the resolution was passed.
Based on this group, officials must regulate how the land will be used, he said. For example, they need to make sure the land is used by taking into account conservation principles and sustainable development, he said.
The fourth concerns those whose period of occupancy in the forest conservation areas is unknown to officials.
They will be allowed to stay in the areas, but they need to get approval from relevant agencies, he said. Officials will conduct surveys of the land to ascertain whether and for how long these people have made use of the land.
The fifth relates to communities staying in mangrove forests, he said. Surveys will be carried out to examine the levels of occupation and classify how the land is used.
After the classification of land use is made and management plans are drawn up, a proposal can be made to exempt the relevant cabinet resolution to make it possible for people to make use of the mangrove forests. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources will be responsible for granting the use of land.