CONSERVATION
APINYA WIPATAYOTIN
The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry is deeply concerned about widespread forest encroachment in the South, where land is being cleared for lucrative cultivation of oil palm and rubber.
Ministry spokesman Pichet Wongthepanukroh said at least 700 rai of forest had been heavily encroached upon by influential figures and local villagers in the southern provinces, particularly Phangnga, Surat Thani and Ranong.
''We found that both forest and mangrove areas have been heavily damaged, he said.
''We are pinpointing the exact location of these damaged areas so we can ask the appropriate agencies to deal with them.''
The agencies involved in forest protection and preservation include the Department of Forests, which takes care of forest reserves, and the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, which oversees forest and wildlife in all national parks and wildlife protection zones.
In most forest encroachment cases, local people are hired by influential figures to clear forested areas, which then are planted in lucrative cash crops such as oil palm and rubber trees. These plantations are usually kept small, 50-100 rai, to escape detection by the authorities.
The ministry spokesman said more than 200 rai of land in the Mae Nang Khao forest in Phangnga province had been cleared by burning to pave the way for cultivation of economic trees.
Also, mangrove forests in Ranong province were facing serious encroachment problems.
Mr Pichet said rapid action and tougher measures were urgently needed to contain forest encroachment throughout the country.
Thailand has only 104.7 million rai of fertile forest left out of a total of 320.7 million rai of forest land. However, cases of forest encroachment are rising each year due mainly to delays in the process of land ownership verification, he said.
The Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry recently transferred 15 of its helicopters to the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry for use in monitoring forest encroachment.
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