15 allegedly illegal forest land plots uncovered in aerial surveys
Forestry officials in Trang are investigating 15 land plots that were cited as allegedly encroaching on national conserved forests after aerial surveys.
The Royal Forest Department's Phayak Prai forest suppression task force head Narupon Thipmontha led his team and the Internal Security Operations Command's 4th Enforcement Coordinating Center officers and related officials to crack down on individuals encroaching on reserved forestland in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang Phatthalung, and Phuket.
The crackdown followed the initial findings of aerial surveys since May 21, by the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment's Aviation Division.
The division said they found at least 60 alleged forestland encroachment locations - many of which were forestland being cleared for rubber plantations, illegal logging, or soil digging for sale.
Trang alone had 15 locations - six plots in Palian district, three plots in Kantang, four plots in Sikao and two plots in Wang Wiset).