Public should look at detail of anti-forest encroachment measures: Prayut
Government chiefs including Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha on January 31 urged the public to look at the detail of proposals by the National Reform Steering Assembly for tackling forest encroachment, saying it has merely tried to correct wrongs and not legalise wrongdoings including by resort owners. The government would also look into the proposals to see whether they go against its forest suppression policies, Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan. The prime minister said one of the proposals is only an attempt to amend the existing National Park Act to better manage those claiming to have lived in the forests long before they are declared as protected areas. They would be allowed to remain in the forests if proved to have lived there a long time without land deeds issued. New encroachers would definitely not be allowed, he said.
