Encroaching mansion in public forest demolished

Encroaching mansion in public forest demolished

KANCHANABURI: After a six-year legal dispute, a mansion that encroached on a public forest in Erawan National Park in Kanchanaburi province is being dismantled.

The demolition ends the long-running dispute between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Chokechai Supavanich, an executive of Thai Dairy Industry Co, who owned the resort which was built on a one-rai land plot in the national park, located in Sri Sawat district.

Porayut Waiwong, chief of Erawan National Park, on Friday took 10 park officials to check on the progress of the demolition work, which started on Monday.

"It means the owner is afraid of the law and complied. The state does not have to pay to demolish it," said Mr Porayut.

Kanchanaburi Provincial Court on March 12 sentenced Mr Chokechai, 77, to one year in prison for building the mansion in a public forest, and ordered the house to be demolished.

If he did not, the owner was to receive up to three more years in prison and pay a fine of up to 300,000 baht, plus daily fines of up to 10,000 baht, starting from last Monday.

The lawsuit began in 2013 when the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation filed charge against Mr Chokechai for encroaching on the national park.

Nipon Jamnongsirisak, director of the Forest Conservation Management Office 3, said the demolition is 60% complete and expected to be done by month's end.

After the work is finished, the officials will start the forest rehabilitation programme.

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