Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin has defended the revision of the Thap Lan National Park boundary, insisting the move is not intended to benefit capital interests but to address the long-standing hardships of residents who lived in the area before it was declared a national park.
Speaking on Tuesday amid growing "Save Thap Lan National Park" campaigns by influencers and actors, Mr Suchart said the process to revise more than 100,000 rai of park land began before he took office and had been reviewed by multiple committees across several administrations.
"This issue is like a coin with two sides," he said, noting that academics and experts had already explained the matter. He added that the difficulties faced by tens of thousands of households should not be turned into a political issue.
Mr Suchart urged critics to consider families who had lived peacefully in the area for decades before finding their homes designated as part of a national park.
He said government policy seeks a fair resolution that balances forest conservation with residents' rights.
Addressing social media images of elephant herds and forest landscapes, Mr Suchart said the photographs were not from Thap Lan National Park and warned against creating misunderstandings. He identified the Thai Samakkhi village cluster as the focus of public concern.
The minister said discussions had been held with senior officials and stakeholders over concerns that land could be transferred to the Agricultural Land Reform Office (Alro) and eventually benefit capital groups.
He stressed that Alro regulations require land rights to be allocated to farmers.
To ensure transparency, Mr Suchart said a committee would be established within three to four days to verify villagers' rights on a plot-by-plot basis.
The process would distinguish legitimate rights holders from those seeking benefits, provide clarity and prevent social division.
Mr Suchart said the boundary revision was approved unanimously by a committee of academics and experts and was not the decision of any single individual.
