An open hearing will be held later this week for all stakeholders involved in the long-running Thap Lan land dispute, as the government presses ahead with plans to revise parts of the national park's boundaries.
Speaking after meeting villagers within the disputed area at parliament, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin said he would travel to the area on Sunday to hear directly from residents, conservationists, human rights advocates and state agencies.
"We must establish the facts and remove any doubts," he said.
"If the land belongs to villagers who lived there before the park was declared, they should be allowed to continue living and farming there. But if it is occupied by hotels or resorts, they will have to be demolished."
The dispute centres around a government-backed proposal to remove more than 155,000 rai from the boundaries of Thap Lan National Park and place the land under agricultural reform management.
Supporters argue the move would resolve decades-long land conflicts affecting local communities, while opponents warn it could open the door to land speculation and benefit influential investors.
Mr Suchart met villagers who support the proposal and who insist many settlements there existed before Thap Lan was designated a national park in 1981.
They said residents had lived for decades under the threat of legal action for activities as basic as collecting forest products or cultivating land.
The minister said Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had instructed him to ensure justice was served for genuine villagers while taking firm action against encroachers and business interests.
Authorities will establish a "war room" to investigate disputed areas. Land occupied by wealthy investors will not be tolerated, he said.
Mr Suchart also argued that much of the disputed land was no longer forested and had long been developed into villages and agricultural areas.
He said transferring land from national park status to agricultural reform zones would not privatise state land and that strict safeguards would prevent transfers to outsiders.
Members of the Save Thap Lan movement, which opposes the revision, were also at parliament on Wednesday and sought to submit a petition of their own.
