PHUKET: Forests Department officials from three provinces converged on Phuket today in a crackdown on the appropriation of public land.
One man was arrested and another was seen fleeing into the jungle near the construction site of what appeared to be an illegal resort .
Over the past nine years, Forests department Director Amnard Soikerw said, 60 people had been arrested and 651 rai of public land restored.
He said that of 5000 rai of Forests Department land on Phuket, 3844 rai was being used by 268 people to graze animals or for agricultural purposes. Only 794 rai of genuine forest remained.
Forests land in the Kamala Hills and the Nakkerd Hills was most under threat, he said.
There were also official requests from Islamic groups, for example, for cemeteries and the Roads Department.
One man was arrested and another was seen fleeing into the jungle near the construction site of what appeared to be an illegal resort .
Over the past nine years, Forests department Director Amnard Soikerw said, 60 people had been arrested and 651 rai of public land restored.
He said that of 5000 rai of Forests Department land on Phuket, 3844 rai was being used by 268 people to graze animals or for agricultural purposes. Only 794 rai of genuine forest remained.
Forests land in the Kamala Hills and the Nakkerd Hills was most under threat, he said.
There were also official requests from Islamic groups, for example, for cemeteries and the Roads Department.
Looks pretty ceremonial to me. Where's the bulldozer to raze the illegal constructed buildings. Next week everything will be back to normal.
Posted by Anonymous on July 28, 2012 22:33