A House committee on Wednesday urged the government to clarify why it is allegedly misinforming the public regarding land disputes involving about 265,286 rai of land in Thap Lan National Park.
The committee claims the government has misled the public by saying the plots are part of virgin forest. This has led to ongoing opposition to the proposed separation of these land plots from the national park and handing them to parties eligible to use them.
In reality, these land plots are no longer in their natural state, said Laofang Bundidterdsakul, a list-MP of the opposition Move Forward Party (MFP), and a member of the House committee on land, natural resources and environment.
Mr Laofang said these land plots now house a community with a temple, market, school, and healthcare facility.
"Those politicians who oversee the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment are encouraged to tell the truth and correct the wrong impression that the proposal to exclude these 265,286-rai plots of land from Thap Lan is an attempt to turn land in the virgin forest into agricultural land," he said.
More than 922,000 people have participated in the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation's (DNP) online public hearings on the plan to revoke the protected forest status of the 265,286 rai land, with approximately 95% of participants opposing the move.
Mr Laofang said the accuracy of these hearings is in doubt as their result could have been influenced by a misunderstanding about the actual state of the land plots proposed to be turned into farming land for the poor.
The committee on Wednesday seconded the cabinet's approval of the Thap Lan land separation proposal on March 14 last year. It urged state agencies and others concerned to work together to ensure only those eligible to receive new land for agricultural purposes will be given any.
