Hotels and resorts found built on plots of land around Khao Yai National Park, which have been granted to landless farmers strictly for agricultural purposes, must be demolished and the land seized, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thamanat Prompow said.
His vow to crack down on any illegal occupation of the so-called Sor Por Kor land of the Agricultural Land Reform Office (Alro) was made yesterday, along with the revelation that he has ordered a new inspection of the Alro land around the national park.
The ordered inspection at Khao Yai will be followed by a nationwide inspection of all other plots of Alro land, said Capt Thamanat.
Those who are well aware of their unlawful occupation of such land had better turn themselves in to the authorities and surrender the plots they are occupying to the Alro, said the minister.
"Don't wait until the authorities come to you. Every single plot of such illegally occupied land will be seized and their [Sor Por Kor] documents revoked," he said.
The move followed an agreement reached recently between the Alro and the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) to settle their dispute over the ownership of plots of land near Khao Yai.
The two organisations have resolved to ensure that buffer zones are established between forest reserves and land designated for agricultural use.
The land dispute has been sparked by claims that the national park's land had been encroached on by many people who were holding the Sor Por Kor land occupation documents and whose claimed plots would be issued with a new type of land title deed under the government's policy aimed at upgrading the Sor Por Kor land.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, meanwhile, said he was optimistic this land dispute could soon be settled when a new single land map is ready for use by both the Alro and the DNP.
Both organisations together with the Royal Thai Survey Department (RTSD) are working on the new map of land in the areas around Khao Yai, said Mr Srettha.
The RTSD has already finished surveying the land, a process that is required before producing the new land map for the disputed areas.
This development came in the wake of a week of hard work, which has put them two weeks ahead of schedule, said the PM.
When the map is available, the Alro and the DNP will sign a formal memorandum of understanding to work together in surveying the disputed plots of land around Khao Yai once again, he added.