PHUKET: The policies on national parks encroachment on Phuket set out by Damrong ''The Demolisher'' Pidej will be pursued, a senior government minister said yesterday.

Environment Minister Preecha Rangsomboonsuk was speaking on Phuket where there are 14 major cases of alleged encroachment involving brand-name resorts or villas plus 300 other cases in dispute.

The new director-general of the National Parks and Plant Conservation Department, Manophat Huamuangkaew, has hinted at compromise.

But Khun Preecha, whose department oversees that of Khun Manophat, said the cases of alleged encroachment at Sirinath National Park on Phuket would be pursued through the courts.

''It doesn't matter how powerful the people involved are,'' he said. ''We will seek a just outcome, even if it takes years.''

Buildings that are ruled to have been erected on national park land would be destroyed immediately on a court ruling, he said.

Khun Preecha said he was cooperating with Phuket Governor Maitree Inthusut and other senior Phuket administrators on the issue.

Mr Preecha was on Phuket to inspect the Deep Sea Port, where a plan for expansion has been delayed awaiting an Environmental Impact Assessment.

Mr Preecha was told that Phuket had had 300,000 visitors who arrived by cruise ships last year. The Phuket port was also handling 360,000 tonnes of goods.

Visitor numbers and exports-imports would improve greatly if the Phuket dock could be expanded quickly to deal with two ships at the same time instead of just one as at present, he was told.

Mr Preecha said he would speed approval for the project as fast as possible.