NAKHON SI THAMMARAT: A 135-strong task force has felled almost 1,500 rubber trees planted on two blocks of land inside Khao Nan National Park in Tha Sala district.
The encroached areas will be replanted with native trees and the forest restored.
Damrat Phorprasit, director of the 5th conservation forest management office, led the teams of national park staff, soldiers, border patrol police and local officials that cut down the rubber trees, said to be about eight years old.
The two blocks of total 16 rai, and authorities had already seized the land from the encroachers.
National park chief Charan Duangpaen said a total of 1,460 rubber trees were growing on the land. Once they were cleared, restoration of the natural forest cover would begin.
Mr Damrat said patrols must be tightened to prevent further forest encroachment.
He suggested that local villagers were not behind the encroachment of land inside the park, with 30-40 rai sometimes being cleared in one day - a difficult task.
Local forestry officials must not deny their responsibility and say they did not notice it happening, he said.
Some of the 1460 rubber trees being cut down on the 16 rai of encroached land in Khao Nan National Park, Nakhon Si Thammarat, which will be restored to natural forest. (Photo by Nujaree Raekrun)