The Ombudsman Office visited Kanchanaburi Province to investigate facts and promptly consult with relevant agencies to resolve encroachment issues around the Mon Bridge area, and to inspect illegal constructions infringing on the Vajiralongkorn Dam reservoir.
At 14:30 on 20 July 2026, Mr. Songsak Saichue, Ombudsman Chairman, along with his team visited Sangkhlaburi District, Kanchanaburi Province. They were accompanied by Mr. Wuttipong Supakwanit, Deputy Governor of Kanchanaburi, local government heads, and related officials to the area around the Uttamanusorn Wooden Bridge (Mon Bridge).
The purpose was to ascertain facts and urgently find management solutions to address state land encroachment around the Uttamanusorn Bridge (Mon Bridge) area, including organizing rafts there. Additionally, they aimed to examine why relevant agencies have not acted against illegal building constructions in the Vajiralongkorn Dam reservoir area.
Mr. Songsak Saichue, Ombudsman Chairman, told reporters, “This visit was prompted by complaints about misuse of designated land areas.”
Inspections revealed four main illegal activities: 1. In areas below 160 meters sea level (flood zones), there is widespread unauthorized permanent housing by both Thai nationals and foreigners; 2. Agricultural land (cooperative settlements) has been converted into resorts in violation of intended use, with about 1,000 cases; 3. Water areas managed by the National Parks and Marine Department have unregulated tourist rafts, some extending beyond authorized boundaries; 4. Cooperative settlement areas used by the Electricity Generating Authority are undergoing boundary demarcation to prevent further encroachment.
These problems are systemic, involving local residents and multiple agencies, leading to integrated efforts to reorganize the entire area and address deteriorating water quality in some locations.
New encroachers in overlapping areas will face strict prosecution under the National Park Act immediately. Existing residents must enter a rights verification process under Section 64 of the 2019 National Park Act. The National Park Department is currently surveying and reviewing data to prepare land use certificates (Sor.12), which legally authorize residence and cultivation within national park boundaries.
This field visit involved coordinated cooperation from key agencies including the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Marine Department, Pollution Control Department, National Water Resources Office, Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Vajiralongkorn Dam), Department of Cooperative Promotion, as well as provincial and local administrations such as Kanchanaburi Province, Sangkhlaburi District, Wang Ka Subdistrict Municipality, Thong Pha Phum Cooperative Settlement, and Khao Laem National Park.