Following a tip-off from local people, Kathu District officials led by District Chief Veera Kerdsirimongkol visited the site high in the hills above Kathu waterfall around Soi Chang.
They found two resort cabins in the process of building, a sala and a bathroom block under construction on a slope in the forest. Three rai of land had been cleared but with around 10 trees left standing, some of them protected species.
The person responsible, Somkid Tuarob, was called and told to bring with him the land documents. He presented officials with a sheaf of papers related to an incomplete NorSor 3 Kor application covering almost 14 rai and a Certificate of Land Use in the name of Nonthicha Tuarob, covering another 11½ rai.
Mr Veera said, “From our preliminary checks, we found that this area is inside the Kamala Forest Preservation Area. It is prohibited to use anything in it or build anything on it. The document [NorSor 3 Kor] was incomplete because Somkid has no right to own it.
“We will be bringing charges of forest encroachment, illegal construction, illegally transforming the land and destruction of the environment.”