Two bills in pipeline to address forest encroachments

23 Sept 05:39 Key points summarised by AI

The Ministry of Natural Resources and The Environment is drafting two bills to allow 2,700 communities, occupying 5.9 million rai of conserved forests, to remain and utilize the land for livelihood, marking a shift from previous eviction policies.
These bills categorize forest communities into four groups based on watershed area classification and settlement date, dictating specific conditions for land use, including individual plots, collective farming, and mandatory reforestation.
Pilot projects for this new land allocation model, designed to resolve long-standing forest settlement issues, are slated to launch in Na Haew, Mae Cham, Nan, and Mae Hong Son.

Uthenthawai students and alumni declare truce with Pathumwan rivals

Yesterday 20:34 Key points summarised by AI

Uthenthawai students and alumni have pledged to cease violent clashes with Pathumwan Institute rivals, coinciding with their campus's reopening after a 90-day closure.
The Minister of Higher Education is mediating the long-running conflict, while the campus closure has significantly disrupted in-person classes and laboratory work for over 1,000 students.
Uthenthawai resists relocation from its current site, citing a historical land grant from King Rama VI, despite Chulalongkorn University's plans to reclaim the land for an educational hub.
Concerns are mounting over the legality of the campus closure, its detrimental impact on uninvolved students, and the potential commercial development of the land, which critics argue contradicts the late King Rama VI's intentions.