KANCHANABURI - Land officials on Thursday ordered the demolition of a monastery found to be built on <i>Sor Por Kor</i> agricultural land in Sai Yok district.
The demolition order was posted outside the monastery, run by Phra Bhikkuchaireuk Katathuro, 62, in tambon Tha Sao, instructing him to move out within 45 days.
Land officials found the monk’s younger brother there. He said the monk had been away on personal business for several days.
The monastery covers more than one rai of land. Nearby is a small cave where a spirit house, a Buddha statue and Phra Bhikkuchaireuk’s personal belongings were found inside.
Watcharin Wakamanon, of the Provincial Agricultural Land Reform Office, said the monastery sits on part of a block of Sor Por Kor land, which is reserved for agricultural use, allocated to Au Tangkasikit in 1985.
After Au died, the land was passed to his daughter, Wassana Tangkasikit, and son, Thienchai Tangkasikit in 2006.
Mr Thienchai said Phra Bhikkuchaireuk had lived on the land since 2002. He had not previously tried to make the monk to leave.
However, when he wanted to grow rubber trees there the monk declared it was the monastery's land and built a fence around the structure.
Mr Thienchai said he then filed a lawsuit against Phra Bhikkuchaireuk and won. The court ordered the monk to move out, but he refused.
He later decided to petition the Dumrongtham complaints centre in the district. The case was handled by local land officials.