The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources has set up a panel to scrutinise the legality of documents held by people occupying land in forest reserves and mangrove forests in the southern resort island province of Phuket.
Sutthiluck Raviwan, director-general of the department, said the panel, headed by Sakda Wichiansin, her deputy, was set up in compliance with a cabinet resolution.
It has 16 members drawn from relevant agencies. It will examine and verify, or reject, the legality of documents - including nor sor 3 kor, nor sor 3, and sor khor 1 - held by people claiming rights over land they have occupied.
Initially, about 164 documents for over 2,000 rai of land will be examined. The land in question is part of seven mangrove forests covering 13,446 rai land in total - the Khlong Bang Chi Lao-Khlong Thachin, Khlong Ko Phi, Khlong Para, Khlong Tha Maphrao, Khlong Tharua, Khlong Utaphao and Khlong Bang Rong forests.
The documents for the land, worth nearly 100 billion baht in total, were issued to the occupants between 1955 and 2012.
Ms Suthiluck said the legality of the documents needs to be verified because many parts of existing mangrove forests have been encroached on to build luxury hotels and resorts by both Thai and foreign investors.
Phuket land, expecially seaside locations, is very expensive, she said, in the range of 30-40 million baht per rai.
The move is part of a drive by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to reclaim illegally occupied land in Phuket.