Govt campaign to crack down on land encroachers gathers pace

Erected on the plot in Kanchanaburi’s Sai Yok district, the worn-out signboard says, “This is the private property of Piengjai Harnphanich.” 

Watcharin Wakamanont, who heads the Kanchanaburi branch of the Agricultural Land Reform Office (ALRO), yesterday refused to reveal who Piengjai was. He recommended a Google search, suggesting that she must be well known. 

A Google search throws up thousands of results. Information provided by the popular search engine describes Piengjai as a wealthy, well-connected woman. 

Led by Watcharin, officials erected a new signboard on the plot declaring the ALRO’s Kanchanaburi office as the owner of this 1,263-rai (202-hectare) plot of land. 

The plot is 2km from the controversial Tiger Temple, which also allegedly encroaches on state land. 

Efforts to crack down on land encroachers have been intensified of late after the military’s ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) on Tuesday demanded that state land be reclaimed from illegitimate occupiers. ALRO alone is expected to reclaim more than 430,000 rai of land, which should then be allocated to landless farmers. “We are ready to enforce laws strictly,” Watcharin said. 

He said suspected illegitimate landowners would be required to produce evidence of their right to own the plots targeted for reclamation within 22 days of officials erecting signs on them. 

“Officials will review the evidence within 30 days, after which the land plots will be either cleared or reclaimed,” Watcharin said. 

Similar operations have now been undertaken across the country. 

In response to an NCPO order, officials yesterday announced the planned demolition of several resorts in Phetchabun province. 

The Royal Forest Department has won final court rulings against six of these resorts. The rest are resorts that the public-works offices say are not only allegedly encroaching on forest zone but are also unsafe. 

In Udon Thani province, the local ALRO office plans to investigate 10 vast land plots on suspicion that they have been illegally occupied.

“Their current occupiers must explain how they have acquired such agricultural-reform land,” said the office’s legal officer, Mongkhon Thongjun.

Each of these occupiers hold more than 500 rai of land, he said.

In Nakhon Ratchasima province, local ALRO officials said the actual land recall would likely start next month because prior notices must be given to current occupiers, who could still be allowed to retain the targeted land plots if they have evidence of legitimate ownership.

In Chiang Mai, officials have been taking action against four temples for allegedly encroaching on forestland. 

Deputy national police chief Pol General Srivara Ransibrahmanakul showed up in the province to facilitate the land-plot seizure in response to reports that influential locals had helped with the land encroachment. “We will investigate further,” he said. 

Chukiat Pongsiriwan, director of Forest Management Bureau 1, said those who had constructed monastery buildings would face legal action as, apparently, the constructions went up in areas without proper land-rights documents.