The Ministry of Finance has launched a new policy to allocate 260,000 rai of state land to low-income individuals and farmers at substantially low rental rates. Deputy Finance Minister Paopoom Rojanasakul disclosed that the initiative would initially benefit 1,910 individuals across nine pilot provinces, including Nakhon Ratchasima, Chiang Rai, and Chiang Mai. The land, amounting to 7,380 rai in the initial phase, is designated for housing and agricultural use and is expected to be rolled out within six months.
Eligibility for the program is limited to those who have been residing or farming on state land since before October 4, 2003, and who do not hold any existing land lease agreements with the Treasury Department. The move comes after a 2023 department survey identified approximately 900,000 rai occupied by squatters. Since then, lease agreements have been organized for 300,000 rai, with the remaining land under review for potential lease agreements.
The rental rates have been set deliberately low to remain accessible to those in need. For residential purposes, the rate is fixed at 1 satang per square meter per month for areas not exceeding 100 square meters and 50 satang per square meter per month for larger spaces. Agricultural land will be leased at 20 baht per rai per month for plots up to 50 rai, with a slightly higher rate of 30 baht per rai per month for larger areas. (NNT)
