RTN backs down in Phuket land clash as zoning deal takes shape

A bitter turf war between villagers and the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) in Phuket’s protected forest reserve is finally moving towards resolution — and the RTN is backing off.

At a high-stakes meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall, chaired by Vice Governor Adul Chuthong, provincial officials and senior RTN chiefs agreed to push forward with a zoning plan aimed at ending years of land encroachment disputes in the 5,000-rai Bang Khanun national forest reserve in Thalang.

The RTN, which once laid claim to a whopping 3,763 rai for new military facilities, has now agreed to scale back its request to 1,800 rai.

That dramatic U-turn opens the door for fairer land distribution, particularly for long-term residents.

“The Third Area Command only requests to use 1,800 rai of the 3,000 rai granted,” said Vice Governor Adul. “The remaining land can be used to support the community legally and sustainably.”

Vice Admiral Suwat Donsakun, Commander of the Third Naval Area, said that while the RTN has no current orders to evict residents, locals living within the RTN’s allocated area are technically encroaching on government land. He said that the province must lead mediation efforts to ensure fairness.

The new zoning blueprint divides the forest reserve into four zones: 1,000 rai for watershed conservation, 1,800 rai for government and RTN use, 2,000 rai for residential purposes, and the remainder for shared community and tourism use — including infrastructure projects like water reservoirs and public parks.

According to provincial officials, some 260 villagers currently live on the land. Legal action is ongoing against nine individuals identified as new encroachers.

Officials say households that occupied the land before 1957 may be eligible to receive up to 10 rai per family under the plan, reported The Phuket News.

“The provincial committee will handle this sensitively, listening to all sides before finalising the plan,” said Adul. A technical team from the Phuket Forestry Department will draft the layout, ensuring an equitable outcome.

The committee includes the Phuket governor, local officials, village leaders, legal representatives, and the Administrative Court.

A detailed zoning map will now be drawn up, with more meetings to follow. For Phuket’s forest-dwelling villagers, it could be a long-awaited lifeline — if all sides hold their ground.