Forest resource management office 4 director Thanat Nemee, accompanied by Uthai Thani peacekeeping chief Colonel Pisal Nakphajon, attended the talk yesterday with 280 residents of four Karen villages in tambon Kaen Makrud in Ban Rai district. Thanat said Huai Tha Kuay and Huai Krawen forest reserves had seen 21,600 rai occupied by 700 villagers for farming or housing. Besides asking them to stop encroachment, he told them of plans to reclaim 76,000 rai, while granting them leniency to use 14,000 rai for farming and housing.
The team would survey and proceed on reclaimed forestland rehabilitation next week, he said.