Residents of rural communities in Phetchabun's Khao Kho district are petitioning two House committees to intervene in an ongoing dispute regarding the status of the area they occupy.
The petition was received yesterday by opposition leader Chaithawat Tulathon, who is also a member of the House of Representatives' committees on the military, as well as natural resources and environmental affairs.
According to the petition submitted by Buppha Chanpheng, who represents locals living in 35 communities within the Khao Kho forest complex, several residents in the area have been accused by park authorities of encroaching on a protected reserve -- some of whom have been officially charged.
Ms Buppha said last year, park authorities began asking the communities for "rent", a move local residents could not accept as they believe they are legally entitled to reside in the area.
According to Ms Buppha, most of the residents -- many of whom belong to ethnic minority groups -- have been living inside the forest complex since the 1970s.
In 1977, during the conflict between the Thai military and the Communist Party of Thailand, villagers in the area were asked to cooperate with the military. In exchange, they were allowed to settle there and promised title deeds to the land they occupied.
However, in 1986, the area was declared a forest reserve.
Ms Buppha said they have the right to remain within the forest complex, because just before the area was declared a natural reserve, temporary certificates of occupation were issued for 585 land plots.
"We have done nothing wrong. We have already written a report to various government agencies, but they remain silent. So we have to ask MPs to bring this matter to the House of Representatives on behalf of the people in distress," she said.
The group asked the government to drop land encroachment charges against the villagers.