A FLAWED TAX POLICY

Re: “Land tax loophole endangers our environment,” (Opinion, Dec 29).

Kitichate Sridith highlights an important perverse outcome of the “banana loophole” that allows landowners to avoid higher land taxes otherwise imposed on “unused” or “vacant” land.

It’s important to recognise the true costs and benefits of land-use practices that are incentivised by the tax policy. Unfortunately, the true costs of the current approach, in terms of ecological damage, are severe.

I’ve witnessed first-hand the horrendously counterproductive impacts of the current land tax policy when a large 15-rai plot of thick natural regrowth of trees near my home was mercilessly levelled by backhoes and planted with spindly citrus seedlings.

Within two months, all of the planted seedlings were dead from lack of care. Recently, the plot was again scraped bare and replanted — presumably just in time for the tax assessor’s next visit.

While the future of these newly planted seedlings is doubtful, what is not in doubt is the destruction of the previous natural habitat that housed hundreds of birds, and countless lizards, insects and frogs — now gone forever from this site. Also gone are the carbon sequestration and water-retention values of the previous natural stand of trees.

The land tax can be a powerful tool to influence desired land management. Authorities need to remedy the flawed tax policy to reward the protection and maintenance of natural ecosystems rather than promoting more needless fruit production.

Samanea Saman