UBON RATCHATHANI: The Pha Taem National Park in Khong Chiam district has sent a letter telling the owner of a resort encroaching on park land to tear down the structures and clear out by July 15.
The letter is the latest salvo in a legal battle that has now lasted almost four years.
Nakarin Suthatto, chief of the Pha Taem National Park, said that a complaint was initially filed with Khong Chiam police on Nov 25, 2015 that Baan Mai Home Resort had been built on park land.
The case was brought to the Ubon Ratchathani Court, which later acquitted the owner of Ban Mai Home Resort of the encroachment charge for "lack of intention". However, the court ordered the resort owner to dismantle all structures and move them out of the park by Nov 30, 2017.
The resort owner lodged a petition against the order with the 9th Land Conservation Office. The petition was rejected by the office.
The resort owner then filed a case with the Ubon Ratchathani Administrative Court, asking it to revoke the national park's removal order. The case was again rejected by the administrative court on May 23, 2018.
The new letter from the Pha Taem National Park tells the resort owner to dismantle its buildings and move them out by July 15. Otherwise, park officials will do so by themselves -- and the resort owner would be responsible for the expenses, Mr Nakarin said.
