Phuket City Police confirmed that a complaint was formally filed on Thursday (June 11), leading to the prosecution of Supachai Jaisomkom, 64, for offences related to occupying and using land within the Khao Toh Sae National Forest Reserve and permanent forest area.
According to police, the alleged encroachment was discovered during an inspection by officers from Phuket Forest Protection Unit 2 (Phuket) on Jan 31, 2025.
Officials found extensive clearing of undergrowth across the site, with evidence of both old and recent land clearing activities. They also discovered a raised single-storey shelter with a steel frame and corrugated iron roof measuring approximately six metres by five metres.
Other structures found on the site included a steel-framed toilet measuring 1.5 metres by 1.5 metres and a 2,000-litre water tank used to collect rainwater.
No one was present at the location during the inspection.
Forest officers used a government GPS device to record 11 coordinate points before comparing the data with official 1:50,000-scale maps.
The survey found that 3 rai, 2 ngan and 61 square wah of the occupied area lay within the forest reserve, while a further 3 ngan and 54 square wah were located within permanent state forest land.
The total encroached area measured 4 rai, 2 ngan and 15 square wah.
Authorities said the occupation, land clearing and construction activities constituted violations of laws governing national forest reserves, including the unauthorised possession, use and degradation of protected forest land.
The case was recorded as Criminal Case No. 856/2026 at Phuket City Police Station.
Investigators subsequently gathered evidence and identified Mr Supachai as the alleged offender before proceeding with legal action.
The suspect faces charges of occupying, possessing, utilising or residing on land within a national forest reserve, as well as clearing forest land and carrying out activities that degrade protected forest areas without official permission.
Phuket City Police Superintendent Col Chatree Chukaew has instructed investigators to pursue the case in accordance with the law and continue monitoring encroachment activities in order to protect state forest land and natural resources.