KANCHANABURI: Park authorities have ordered a former managing director of Thai Dairy Industry Co to tear down his resort within 30 days as it sits on public land in Erawan National Park.
Officials posted the demolition order at the property of Chokechai Supavanich in Sri Sawat district on Friday. The 30-day began immediately.
The resort comprises three buildings on more than one rai of land on a hill by a cliff in an area considered to be a watershed.
Park officials seized the houses after a 2014 survey using GPS confirmed the land was park property.
Erawan National Park chief Porayut Waiwong said the area used to be a bamboo forest.
The owner later petitioned the Central Administrative Court to overturn the seizure but he lost the case in a ruling in 2018 and did not appeal, according to Niphon Chamnongsirisak, chief of the Protected Area Regional Office 3, which oversees the park.
Defying the demolition order carries a fine up to 300,000 baht and/or a jail term from one to three years. The owner has to pay the park 400,000 baht, plus 25% interest a year for demolition work.
An aerial view shows the location of the resort. (Photo by Piyarach Chongcharoen)
The park, as the plaintiff, and Mr Chokechai are currently involved in a criminal court case. Prosecutors filed a lawsuit against him for encroachment last year.
Park officials will give their account before the court on Tuesday.
Thai Dairy Industry Co produces dairy products, with Mali sweetened condensed milk one of its flagship brands.
The order against Mr Chokechai comes just a week after authorities gave the owner of Kok Kot resort, which encroached on forest land in the park, 30 days to demolish its buildings.
Prosecutors decided not to indict the resort owner, Siriyut Siriyutthaphong, saying he had no intention of committing wrongdoing.
Mr Siriyut had earlier lodged a petition seeking to reverse the demolition order, but the Supreme Administrative Court rejected his request.
As well, Royal Forest Department officials on Tuesday seized what they said was 23 rai of public forest land that was being levelled to build a holiday home near Srinagarind dam in Kanchanaburi.
The raid followed complaints by residents that a businessman had illegally acquired the land to build himself a holiday home.