Illegal durian plantation found in Chanthaburi forest reserve
A durian and banana plantation has been uncovered on a 400-rai plot in a national reserved forest located in Khlung district, Chanthaburi province. Efforts are underway to determine the ownership of the land.
The discovery is part of a series of recent findings in the eastern province, where officials suspect that some Chinese investors have established operations by using Thai nominees to acquire land.
Yesterday, March 4, police and Royal Forest Department officers searched the sizable plantation in tambon Bor Welu, Khlung district. They observed infrastructure such as concrete roads and electricity poles in place. However, no workers or caretakers were present during the inspection.
Police Major General Watcharin Poosit, commander of the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division, stated that the Royal Forest Department had previously allocated this area for agricultural purposes, but this designation was revoked in 2003. A royal decree later reclassified the land as part of a national forest reserve, prohibiting any agricultural activities.
The farm covers over 400 rai, and officials suspect significant financial backing due to its organised infrastructure, including a large lake and specific crop cultivation areas.
In response, Environment and Natural Resource Minister Chalermchai Sri-on has declared a crackdown on illegal durian and rubber plantations in protected forest areas of eastern provinces. He emphasised the need to reclaim these lands and prosecute those involved in the encroachments, reported Bangkok Post.
Earlier, the ministry ordered the confiscation of 1,500 rai of forest land in Tha Takiab district after it was unlawfully sold to a Thai company acting as a local nominee for Chinese investors.
In similar news, Chachoengsao’s forestlands are caught in a tangled web of controversy as Thai government officials crack down on a massive illegal land grab, exposing a durian-driven scheme involving Chinese investors hiding behind a local facade.
Latest Thailand News
