PHUKET'S Sirinath National Park is under siege and disputing claims by 260 people who say they own 2814 rai of public land.

The figures for the island's largest beachside marine park came to light as concern mounts across Thailand about individuals appropriating national parkland for private use.

A wide range of issues were discussed today by Sirinath National Park Director Nontavit Jaturabunthid.

He told the media at Nai Yang beach about the following:

..Beach erosion that is undermining and toppling some of the tallest and finest pine trees along the island's coast;

..Local food stalls and restaurants at Nai Yang where 17 proprietors have agreed to move to a new food centre building away from the beachfront;

..A splurge of colorful resort umbrellas and loungers in front of the park at Nai Yang that are going to be removed before the end of the month by the abashed resort involved;

..An agreement with the company behind West Sands Phuket that has been declared null and void following a dispute about eight lopped trees.

Copies of the agreement between Central and City Developments and Sirinath Park from March 2009 in both Thai and English were distributed today.

The document headed Framework for Cooperation on Restoring the Ecology System of the Beach Area in Sirinath National Park includes ''3. Goal: To protect and restore the beach land located in front of the project of Central and City Developments Company Limited, approximately 500 metres at length; in order to make it clean and beautiful without destroying the natural state.''

Meanwhile, an investigation of the lopping of eight trees along the beachfront has resulted in a document listing the dimensions of the fallen trees.

They vary in diameter from 145 centimetres to 81 centimetres.

A back-hoe valued at 600,000 baht and a truck valued at 1.8 million baht have been impounded as part of a police investigation.

Local villagers blockaded the site for two weeks over the lopped trees, eventually winning agreement from West Sands to gift a site boundary road to the province, providing public access to the beachfront.

In a letter to the local mayor of Mai Khao, Khun Nontavit wrote that the memorandum of understanding between the park and the company was now null and void.

National park rangers have posted signs in Thai at 14 points around the perimeter of the West Sands site saying ''National Park Area.''

Investigations into the lopping of the trees are continuing, Khun Nontavit wrote.