Suthep revealed he does not easily believe claims and is preparing to dispatch a special task force to the area to verify whether Boom Panadda’s husband has encroached on forest land. Although local officials reported the land as state property, he declared that if wrongdoing is confirmed, legal action will be taken immediately.
On 24 Oct 2026 at Sanam Luang, Mr. Suchart Chomklin, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, addressed allegations that the husband of Boom, Ms. Panadda Wongpudee, chairperson of the Good Deeds Foundation, had encroached on more than 100 rai of reserved forest land. He stated that the Department of Forestry has been tasked with verifying the matter. Initially, the land is reported to belong to the Treasury Department as state property, and the Forestry Department also leases land from the Treasury. However, on 26–27 Oct, a special task force will be sent to re-examine the area. He frankly admitted he does not suspect his subordinates based on local reports alone but remains unconvinced and wants a central team to verify the facts again to properly address public questions. He emphasized that in large social issues, it is insufficient to rely solely on official reports without seeing concrete evidence. Therefore, he ordered the special task force, including assistant ministers, to inspect immediately to confirm the truth of the reports and conduct a thorough re-examination.
Mr. Suchart added that on 23 Oct, information was received indicating the area falls under the Treasury Department’s jurisdiction, but he remains skeptical. He stressed that if the land is forest under the 1941 law, it may be leased, but if there is encroachment without valid lease documents, the case resembles that of Thap Lan National Park, where offenders must be arrested and demolition ordered. He explained there are two scenarios: if wrongdoing is found, legal action for encroachment will proceed; if the land is leased, it must be for agricultural use, but if leased for resort development, a different lease type applies. He assured the public the ministry is thoroughly re-investigating, including cases on Koh Phangan, Surat Thani Province, where despite documents reportedly proving ownership, the ministry remains unconvinced and will conduct further on-site inspections.