People of the Pracha Samakkhi community have filed a petition to the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment for help over a lawsuit seeking their eviction from the land.
The community's president, Surasak Tainapreaw, along with village representatives, submitted a petition to Minister Chalermchai Sri-on on Saturday during his visit to Sirinat National Park in Phuket's Thalang district.
Mr Surasak said a total of 512 families live in the 346-rai community in tambon Koh Kaew in Muang district but they do not have title deeds.
"We have been suffering from the lack of land rights although we have lived in our community for decades. We are being sued by an investor who wants to evict us from our land. We have been fighting the case for over 20 years. We need help from the minister to resolve it," he said.
The locals also handed over evidence with their petition. The minister accepted the letter and said he would have state agencies investigate.
Meanwhile, Mr Chalermchai also joined a meeting with the heads of state agencies. Officials said 801 cases of encroachment on national parks in Phuket had been reported over the past three years, including 105 this year.
The Department of Special Investigation has taken up 12 land encroachment cases including that of the Pullman Phuket Arcadia Hotel. In this case, the Court of Appeal ordered the revocation of the land but the hotel filed an appeal to the Supreme Court. Other hotels under investigation include Central City Hotel and the La Colline Phuket.
Meanwhile, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) is concerned that two companies have sought permission to rent land from the Treasury Department to build hotels.
Currently, one hotel has passed the Environmental Impact Assessment and another is in the process of undertaking an EIA.
Even though the properties will be outside Sirinat National Park, the nearby beach area is where sea turtles lay eggs. The DNP says turtles come to lay eggs every year, including three times this year alone.
Also, locals have submitted letters of concern about any new building work near the beach. The minister asked state agencies to come up with solutions.
