Suchart targets resort capitalists in Thap Lan National Park

Matichon•General•14h ago

Reader Briefing

Minister Suchart Chomklin is enforcing court-ordered demolitions of illegal resorts in Thap Lan National Park and preparing to pursue money laundering charges.

•Officials posted demolition notices for three properties in Thai Samakkhi Subdistrict, Wang Nam Khiao District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province.
•One resort owner, Starwell Home Garden, expressed a wish to demolish their own structures.
•Suchart Chomklin ordered a comprehensive data collection of all illegally built hotels and resorts by the end of August 2026.
•The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment plans to submit findings to the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) for asset seizure.

Overview

•Suchart Chomklin revealed that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is continuing to suppress encroachments in Thap Lan National Park.
•Officials, including Tewin Meesap and Pravatsart Chanthep, posted court-ordered demolition notices for Rimpha Resort, a luxury vacation home, and Wiman Mok Wang Nam Khiao.
•The owner of Starwell Home Garden Resort has expressed a desire to demolish their own structures.
•Suchart Chomklin ordered the Protected Areas Regional Office 1 (Prachinburi), Protected Areas Regional Office 7 (Nakhon Ratchasima), and Thap Lan National Park to compile evidence on all non-compliant resorts.
•The compiled evidence must be submitted to the working group by the end of August 2026.
•The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will propose the compiled information to the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) for asset seizure and prosecution.
•Suchart Chomklin stated that money laundering penalties include imprisonment from 1-10 years, fines from 20,000-200,000 baht, or both.

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Key Quotes

Suchart Chomklin

"The government has a clear policy to separate people living with the forest from the group of capitalists."

รัฐบาลมีนโยบายชัดเจนในการแยกคนอยู่กับป่าออกจากกลุ่มนายทุน

Key Entities

Person

Suchart Chomklin(สุชาติ ชมกลิ่น)ℹ️

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.

Anutin Charnvirakul(อนุทิน ชาญวีรกูล)ℹ️

Prime Minister.

Nipon Jamnongsirisak(นิพนธ์ จำนงสิริศักดิ์)

Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Chairman of the Working Group to Help Communities in Thap Lan National Park.

Tewin Meesap(เทวินทร์ มีทรัพย์)

Head of the Working Group for Plot-by-Plot Rights Verification and Law Enforcement.

Opas Walaiphet(โอภาส วลัยเพ็ชร)

Advisor to the Special Task Force of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Pravatsart Chanthep(ประวัติศาสตร์ จันทร์เทพ)

Head of Thap Lan National Park.

Organization

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment(กระทรวงทรัพยากรธรรมชาติและสิ่งแวดล้อม)ℹ️

The government body overseeing the suppression of encroachments in Thap Lan National Park.

Anti-Money Laundering Office(สำนักงานป้องกันและปราบปรามการฟอกเงิน)

The agency to which the Ministry will propose asset seizure cases under money laundering laws.

Protected Areas Regional Office 1 (Prachinburi)(สำนักงานบริหารพื้นที่อนุรักษ์ที่ 1 (ปราจีนบุรี))

An office ordered to gather data on resorts that have ignored demolition orders.

Protected Areas Regional Office 7 (Nakhon Ratchasima)(สำนักงานบริหารพื้นที่อนุรักษ์ที่ 7 (นครราชสีมา))

An office ordered to gather data on resorts that have ignored demolition orders.

Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Legal Execution Office(สำนักงานบังคับคดีจังหวัดนครราชสีมา)

The agency that joined the posting of court-ordered demolition notices.

Rimpha Resort(ริมผา รีสอร์ต)

One of the entities served with a court-ordered demolition notice.

Wiman Mok Wang Nam Khiao(วิมานหมอก วังน้ำเขียว)

One of the entities served with a court-ordered demolition notice.

Starwell Home Garden Resort(รีสอร์ตสตาร์เวลล์ โฮม การ์เด้น)

A resort owner that expressed intent to demolish their own structures.

Place

Thap Lan National Park(อุทยานแห่งชาติทับลาน)ℹ️

The protected area where illegal resorts and vacation homes have encroached.

Thai Samakkhi Subdistrict, Wang Nam Khiao District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province(ตำบลไทยสามัคคี อำเภอวังน้ำเขียว จังหวัดนครราชสีมา)

The location where court-ordered demolition notices were posted.

Law

Money Laundering Law(กฎหมายฟอกเงิน)

The legislation used to seize assets and impose prison terms on those profiting from illegal land encroachment.