Local Politician Faces Charges Over Protected Forest Encroachment
A local administrative official faces charges after forestry officials discovered illegal road construction through protected mangrove forest in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, with over 2 kilometers of concrete roads built without authorizat
On July 14, 2025, Songkun Dalakkawin, a senior forestry officer with the Tiger Unit Special Operations Center for the Southern Region, disclosed that on July 13 forestry officials, Police Unit 427, and Natural Resources officers entered Khuan Khreng mangrove forest in Moo 6, Khreng Subdistrict, Chao Auat District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province following complaints of encroachment by a local administrative official.
Inspections revealed approximately 2 kilometers of concrete road access, followed by another 100 meters of gravel fill, totaling 2,020 meters from the main road. The site is part of Khuan Khreng National Reserved Forest, which was being cleared in preparation for development. After officials seized the area and began recording evidence at Chao Auat Police Station, the politician arrived with local leaders and residents to protest the actions.
To prevent confrontation, officers relocated their documentation process outside the police station. Formal complaints were subsequently filed against the local politician under the Land Code, the Forestry Act of 2484, the National Reserved Forests Act of 2507, and the Wildlife Conservation Act of 2562.
