THE INTERNAL Security Operations Command (Isoc) and the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) will jointly reclaim mangrove forestland encroached upon by investors in 24 coastal provinces.

The agencies will start next Tuesday and Wednesday by inspecting 10,000 rai (1,600 hectares) in Krabi, DMCR deputy chief Sakda Wichiensilpa told a press conference yesterday.

Sakda added that national-level politicians with the initials "S" or "P" were allegedly involved with the encroachment cases.

Isoc spokesman Pirawat Sangthong said authorities have already reclaimed 11,781 rai, 78.54 per cent of this year's goal to reclaim 15,000 rai.

Eighty per cent of encroached land in Phuket, Krabi, Trat and Ranong has been converted into shrimp farms, with other land use including restaurants, resorts and golf courses, Sakda said.

He added that encroachment has been carried out in two ways: undocumented takeovers, which could face immediate legal action; and intrusions backed by fraudulent land-title documents, which will require investigations into the probity of the issuance of the documents.

more Agencies launch sweeping land reclamation campaigns - The Nation