Protests have erupted amongst native residents in Phetchaburi over the Thai government’s determination to settle 150 Karen villagers in Kaeng Krachan National Park. The controversy was sparked on April 30 when the prime minister issued an order allowing the villagers to return to arable land positioned deep inside the Bang Kloy Bon area of the nationwide park.
This decision has been met with widespread backlash, significantly amongst those invested within the preservation of pure areas and land in the province. Sumol Sutawiriyapat, a former Phetchaburi senator and the president of the Phetchaburi Nature and Environment Preservation Club, has voiced issues that the forest shall be broken as a consequence of the order. The club has queried the government on this matter but has not received a response.
Sumol explained that a quantity of generations of Karen villagers have historically lived within the area. Swidden agriculture, their traditional form of rice cultivation, was traded for land deeds and extra assist from native authorities. The state of affairs seemed unfair to different residents in neighbouring areas who were not granted the same alternatives, Sumol claimed.
The prime minister’s order was issued as part of his marketing campaign strategy for the May 14 common election, however it seems to have had unintended consequences. Lifetime said that the choice has angered local residents and threatens to break the future prosperity of the Unesco world heritage forest. Furthermore, she questioned what standards the government plans to make use of to ensure that the Karen villagers is not going to cause additional injury to the national park.
Sumol famous that the order was based on suggestions from an unbiased working group that didn’t embrace any Phetchaburi natives. This lack of local illustration restricted the group’s information concerning the regional surroundings..