Parliament, The Land Committee agreed to use OneMap to solve the problem of overlapping areas in Thap Lan National Park, calling on the National Park Department to explain to society that 265,000 rai of land is no longer a forest, and asking the ALRO to show the public confidence that if it is revoked, it will not fall into the hands of capitalists, causing a loop of problems.
Mr. Poonsak Chanchampi, MP of the Move Forward Party and Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Land, Natural Resources and Environment, announced after inviting relevant agencies to clarify the issue of land in Thap Lan National Park that the committee had reached a good conclusion that was satisfactory to all participants, divided into 2 points:
1. The meeting agreed to use the resolution in accordance with the guidelines that the Cabinet (Cabinet) resolved on March 14, 2023, which agreed that the NBTC would use the adjusted line according to the 2000 boundary survey or OneMap to manage the area in the Tap Lan Natio
nal Park. It was a conclusion that all parties agreed that OneMap would be used to solve this problem.
2. Everyone agreed that the approach should be used to protect the rights of each group of people, such as the group of people who received the Sor Por Kor rights or the group of people who helped develop the Thai nation, which this group of people should be investigated to create clarity in proving their rights and to be considered a guideline for managing the Thap Lan area going forward. We still have debates on issues that need to be taken further to prove the facts, including taking action to let civil society know the facts in some of the following issues.
The first issue is that the committee will invite the ALRO to provide another explanation on the consideration of land distribution guidelines to eligible citizens. Ultimately, we believe that a joint committee may need to be established to take action on this issue.
The second issue, what we have commented on, is the process of public participatio
n from the expression of opinions, which has been signed by more than one million people. The committee will request information, especially the regulations for public participation from the expression of opinions, in the opening of hearings and participation of stakeholders, related communities, and the public in the determination of the area to be Tap Lan National Park according to the Cabinet resolution of the Department of National Parks for reconsideration. And it is possible that the matter will be forwarded to the Committee on Political Development, Mass Communications, and Public Participation of the House of Representatives for reconsideration as well. Because in the above case, we found that there may be allegations or questions that may create complications for voters.
Third, the meeting agreed that the process of the National Parks Department’s committee should be expedited to certify the ONeMap boundary. The next process is to certify this map as well, so that the certification process can proce
ed quickly.
In addition, the committee also requested additional documents, such as the minutes of the OneMap subcommittee meeting, as well as the minutes of the NBTC meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, to provide clarity on each issue that was discussed and debated during the meeting.
As for the more than 500 pending cases, we have to request information on the investigation of the cases, what are the details, from the National Park Department. The NLA announced in the meeting that the Office of the Council of State is of the opinion that there will be no effect on the case in changing the land area from the National Park to the Sor Por Kor. We have also requested documents to provide clarity.
Mr. Lau Fang Bandit Thedsakul, MP of the Move Forward Party and Secretary of the Committee, added that regarding concerns and allegations from the current situation, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife has accepted the OneMap boundary that the Cabinet has already approved, which is a map that is close t
o Map 43, and the next process is to amend the law to revoke the national park area, which has a problem with the revocation process because the law requires a hearing.
‘The National Park Department’s actions have led society to believe that the 265,000 rai area is in pristine forest condition, leading to people signing up to oppose this, which contradicts the facts because the 265,000 rai area is not in pristine forest condition, but is a community,’ said Mr. Lau Fang.
Mr. Lau Fang continued that he would like to call on the political sector of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to clarify to society what the 265,000 rai area really is because this is not the issuance of a title deed, but rather the protection of the rights of those who have already lived there. As for what the rights will be, it will be done according to the laws that have occurred.
Mr. Lao Fang also appealed to the ALRO regarding the concerns that the National Park Department may not have sufficient capacity to manage the
area, as there have been many problems and allegations in the past, causing society to question the ALRO’s performance as well.
Therefore, the ALRO should demonstrate to the National Park Department and society that if the land is revoked and handed over to the ALRO, the ALRO will be able to operate legally and ensure that these areas are in the hands of those who are truly qualified, not the hands of capitalists.
When asked about the observation that the National Park Department is leading the public hearing, which may make the public hearing not neutral because there are fewer opinions from the local people, what channels will the committee use to delay or suspend it in order for the National Park Department to proceed neutrally, Mr. Lau Fang said that the committee will request the regulations to inform about the steps and processes, and there must be an inspection to see if it is done correctly or not, and will communicate with the Political Development Committee to inspect whether it is complete and in
accordance with the law or not.
As for concerns that this problem will become a loop, Mr. Lau Fang explained by example that if the government has a cabinet resolution to implement a good policy to solve the problem of overlapping areas, but one government agency does not comply, then the question is, will the problem be solved? The person who will lose is the government, which will lose its leadership. It must be the government’s duty to deal with the National Parks Department so that the operation is in accordance with the cabinet resolution.
Source: Thai News Agency