The military, forestry police and local officials have jointly launched an operation reclaim forested land in Saraburi from influential encroachers.

Led by Mr Charus Boonnasa, the deputy governor of Saraburi, about 200 military personnel, forestry officials and local administration officials descended on forest reserves of Khao Yai national park in Tambon Cha-om, Kaeng Khoi district.

It was discovered that 26 plots of land covering 550 rai have been turned into rubber plantations. The rubber trees are about seven years old which are mature enough to be tapped for its latex.

Using chain saws, axes and chopping knives, the officials started cutting down the rubber trees.

The operation in Saraburi is part of the government’s policy to reclaim forests from rich or influential encroachers who have paid or employed poor farmers to cut down trees before they moved in to occupy the land and to turn them into rubber plantations.

Officials eye illegal rubber plantations in Saraburi to reclaim the land - Thai PBS English News