The Phetchaburi Provincial Court temporarily released 22 Karen people on the condition that they must not encroach on the Bang Kloi Bon forest again. Rangers of the Kaeng Krachan National Park arrested the 22 people for encroaching on the forested catchment. They burnt and felled trees, claiming the area had been once their settlement.
Park rangers sent the Karen people to the Kaeng Krachan police station. Police questioned them and sought the court’s order to detain them at the Phetchaburi Central Prison.
The court temporarily released the Karen people of Ban Pong Luek and Bang Kloi areas without bail on the condition that they would be fined 50,000 baht if they encroach on the Bang Kloi Bon forest in the Kaeng Krachan National Park again.
They were also ordered to report to local administrators (subdistrict head or village head) every 12 days. (TNA)
