Thap Lan land transfer sparks rally

ThapLan tag gains momentum

Campaigners have called for a protest at parliament on June 24 to oppose a government-backed plan to remove more than 155,000 rai from the boundaries of Thap Lan National Park, saying the move could undermine conservation efforts and set a dangerous precedent for protected areas.

The movement, coordinating via social media under the hashtag #SAVEThapLan, described the plan as an unlawful transfer of national land.

The action follows a June 15 resolution by the National Park Committee approving a revised boundary for Thap Lan National Park, which covers a forest area of 2,240 square kilometres, or 1.4 million rai, across Nakhon Ratchasima and Prachin Buri provinces.

Under the proposal, 155,865 rai of land would be withdrawn from the park and transferred to state agencies including the Agricultural Land Reform Office (Alro) for land-rights management and allocation.

Environmental groups have urged the government to reconsider the plan, as the area includes ecologically significant forest land and wildlife habitat. They demanded a more transparent review of the affected areas.

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), however, defended the decision, saying the boundary adjustment is intended to resolve long-standing overlaps between the park and land allocated by the state to people before the park was established.

Atthapol Charoenchansa, director-general of the DNP, said the withdrawal consisted largely of areas already designated for agricultural reform, settlement projects and military use. The revision was intended to align official boundaries with historical land-use patterns rather than reduce environmental protection.

He said that around 450 encroachment cases would continue through the courts and would not be affected.

No rights would be granted automatically to people facing prosecution, he said.

In addition, the department and the Royal Forest Department will study a further 86,966 rai of forest land outside the current boundary for possible inclusion in Thap Lan National Park as part of a future expansion programme of the area.

Despite those explanations, campaigners remain unconvinced and plan to submit a petition to lawmakers during the June 24 rally.

Panudet Kerdmali, chairman of the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation, said questions remained over who would qualify to receive land, how disputed areas would be handled and whether Alro could complete rights verification within the proposed six-month timeframe.

He called for safeguards to protect the ecological integrity of the Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex World Heritage site, warning the approach could shape future handling of similar land disputes nationwide in the years to come.

Vacharee Prashyanusorn, chairwoman of the Nakhon Ratchasima Tourism Industry Council, and Pongtep Malachasing, president of the Wang Nam Khiao Tourism Promotion Club, expressed cautious support for the boundary adjustment.

They said resolving overlapping land claims and establishing a clearer land-management framework could restore investor confidence and support a recovery in tourist numbers in Wang Nam Khiao.