Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, during his visit to Ratchaburi province on May 12, reiterated his commitment to protecting Thailand’s forests while addressing the complexities of land use. The prime minister stressed the need to balance land rights to improve livelihoods and the necessity of preserving forest areas.
Rachaburi Governor Kiattisak Trongsiri detailed during a meeting with the premier the status of requests to utilize forest land. He reported that of the 5,841 requests filed, 293 have been approved, 187 have been denied, and 2,961 are still under review, with the remainder pending additional documentation. He pointed out that challenges such as overlapping authority and unclear forest land statuses are causing delays in the approval process.
In response, Srettha has directed the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Interior Ministry, and the military to ensure that each request is handled lawfully without undermining the community’s needs.
The prime minister also reflected on his previous private sector initiatives aimed at creating educational opportunities for over a million children outside the school system. He discussed his past efforts to engage large corporations in educational programs, especially in provinces such as Ratchaburi, where such initiatives were previously lacking. (NNT)
