Forest Department chief to testify to House anti-graft committee on Pareena’s land controversy

14 Sept 10:12 Key points summarised by AI

The House Anti-Corruption Committee has summoned Royal Forest Department (RFD) director-general Atthapol Charoenchansa to testify on December 18th regarding the handling of MP Pareena Kraikupt's alleged forest reserves encroachment case.
The committee seeks to understand the RFD's actions against Ms. Pareena for her alleged 7.3-hectare forest reserve encroachment and has requested information on her asset declaration to ensure impartial application of the law.
Ms. Pareena has agreed to surrender all disputed land, including 7.3 hectares of forest reserves and 109 hectares of Sor Por Kor land, where she operated a chicken farm.
A legal debate has emerged, with Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngarm suggesting Ms. Pareena may be immune from legal action after returning the land, while an RFD official maintains that each encroachment case is unique and the department applies consistent standards.

Flooding persists in Bangkok and 22 provinces

Yesterday 16:00 Key points summarised by AI

Persistent flooding continues across Bangkok and 22 Thai provinces, though water levels are gradually receding in many affected areas.
Over 604,000 families, impacting approximately 1.83 million people, are still grappling with the widespread flood conditions.
The national flood death toll has reached 80 since mid-September, with fatalities reported across various provinces.
Major regions like Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya, and Bangkok report significant numbers of affected households, with hundreds of thousands still in trouble.