“Srisuwan” petitions the Administrative Court to revoke the National Park Committee's resolution to carve out part of the Thap Lan World Heritage forest for management by the Agricultural Land Reform Office (ALRO), citing impacts on the World Heritage registration.
At 11:00 AM on 22 Jun 2026 GMT+7 at the Central Administrative Court on Chaeng Watthana Road, Mr. Srisuwan Janya, president of the Anti-Global Warming Association, filed a lawsuit against the National Park Committee, the National Land Policy Committee (NLPC), the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. He accused them of abusing their powers or discretion and neglecting their legal duties. The case concerns the National Park Committee's meeting No. 1/2026 on 15 Jun 2026, which resolved to adjust the boundaries of Thap Lan National Park by revoking about 53,416 rai of park land overlapping with Agricultural Land Reform Office (ALRO) areas, approximately 8,328 rai of the Thai Samakkhi Village project per a 1977 Cabinet resolution, about 87,500 rai of security project land (PMP and KJ) per a 1992 Cabinet resolution, totaling 155,865 rai. This land was allocated to ALRO management, along with about 6,621 rai of military training ground state property. The decision was made despite concerns about impacts on natural resource conservation and protected forest areas and despite public opposition. The complaint was submitted to the Central Administrative Court to request revocation of this resolution.
Mr. Srisuwan said that cutting out parts of Thap Lan National Park would jeopardize its status as a natural World Heritage site, risking a UNESCO designation of being in danger or removal from the World Heritage list. The claim that about 86,966 rai of reserved forest would be added is difficult because local villagers have encroached on that land for farming, which would likely lead to increased conflicts or merely serve as a false reassurance to reduce nationwide opposition. Importantly, in 2024, the Department of National Parks and NLPC held public consultations on this matter, where 901,892 people, or 95.05%, opposed the proposed boundary changes, but their views were disregarded in exercising authority. Thus, the resolution is seen as destructive to national conservation areas and cannot be overlooked. Additionally, the Anti-Global Warming Association has requested the court to issue temporary protection measures to suspend enforcement of the resolution until the final court ruling, to prevent damage during the trial process.