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Discussion 1 : 03/08/2012 at 10:03 AM

The justification for these demolitions was set during the last Thaksin government when a certain massage parlor complex was demolished in one night following a court order that day. The precedent was then set that it was not necessary to wait for appeals to be decided, and the demolition should proceed immediately as the court had ordered. For this government to not support these demolitions would be tantamount to saying the Thaksin government was in error when the massage parlor complex was demolished in one night from a court order, and the owner would deserve full restitution. Big brother set the precedent years ago. This government official deserves a promotion into the NACC enforcement division. This is a true case of equal rights for all, and the only thing this government can do is commend him, given the past demolition precedent setting case.

Discussion 2 : 03/08/2012 at 01:17 AM

One of the best ways to ensure that no more bad resorts is to all holiday makers stop booking into these resorts. Mr Damrong is a hero and should be awarded right away.

Discussion 3 : 03/08/2012 at 12:28 AM

@gleentea - Your memory is fine. That is exactly what happened. Surayud obeyed the court order without fleeing the country.

Discussion 4 : 03/08/2012 at 12:14 AM

The national forest has been so destroyed on Samui that there isn't much left to protect.

Discussion 5 : 02/08/2012 at 11:03 PM

2 large Hotels, run by now by International Chains, been built in the 1980ies, down in Phuket middle in a National park close to the Airport, partially on a muslim graveyard for one instance, owned by very influential families of political and media elites. Yet besides a protest by a small group of villagers at that time, authorities must have gotten their lucrative share of the cake. Whereas I applaud Khun Damrong, it comes as too little too late throughout the country's national parks and forest reserves.

Discussion 6 : 02/08/2012 at 08:19 PM

musashi, "big land plots and houses" Maybe my memory is fading but I only remember one plot of land, bought long ago, with one house on it. He was legally ordered to remove the house and he complied with that order.

Discussion 7 : 02/08/2012 at 07:38 PM

"... said he would continue to crack down on the more than 400 resorts THOUGHT to be encroaching on the national park." But have them been proven to be illegal? As I read this, the courts have not made their decision yet. So what happens if the court finds the resorts were legal? And if the court decides they were illegal, then who authorised them in the first place? Somebody must be responsible.

Discussion 8 : 02/08/2012 at 06:36 PM

The PTP government has promised to tackle corruption. Out of the thousands of officials in the country so far only one of them (Mr. Damrong) is actually following up on that promise - and now he is being investigated by an otherwise silent PTP government. It is a disgrace that Chalerm and Yingluck do not stand up and tell the public that Mr. Damrong is carrying out their orders in order to keep their promises to the Thai people. At the same time it would be proper if they told the resort owners to take their complaints to the relevant courts and perhaps warn them that they can still be arrested for a number of offences regarding encroachment. At least it is nice to see that everyone, both reds, yellows and neutrals support Mr. Damrong on this forum.

Discussion 9 : 02/08/2012 at 06:03 PM

Either the resorts have encroached on Government land or they haven't. If they have and the court agrees, what is wrong with knocking down the buildings? Unless of course, it's one rule for the 'unconnected' resort owners and a different outcome for those with 'friends' in high places? from iPhone application.

Discussion 10 : 02/08/2012 at 02:55 PM

He has clearly ruffled the feathers of the politicians who are supporting the corrupt and unlawful encroachment of the forests. If he is transferred to an inactive post, even before he retires in 2 months, I doubt if anyone else will stand up to what the politicians are doing again. Thailand's loss.

Discussion 11 : 02/08/2012 at 02:31 PM

su su K Damrong

Discussion 12 : 02/08/2012 at 02:08 PM

As so often happens, when some little criminal is busted for some kind of street crime, the media shows him wearing hand cuffs on TV, or puts a photograph of him on the front page of the newspaper. Why is it we never see the rich and influential people displayed like that when they get busted for encroachment? Even their names don't appear in the media. Mr Damrong has more integrity and honor than most government officials, and should be rewarded for his actions.

Discussion 13 : 02/08/2012 at 01:35 PM

Should the PM be investigating, not the lawful demolitions but the unlawful construction of those illegal resorts instead?

Discussion 14 : 02/08/2012 at 01:03 PM

Hoe can be people be expected to take the law seriously when the real PM is a fugitive. Abiding by the law has to start at the top by strong example .Until this happens the rest is just window dressing and hypocrisy .

Discussion 15 : 02/08/2012 at 12:18 PM

Khun Damrong did his duty as charged, he should be commended. But alas whenever dealing with rich folks, the connections to higher powers in government are often brought into play. It would be interesting to see who actually "owned" the resorts, who their partners were and whom they are related to.

Discussion 16 : 02/08/2012 at 11:10 AM

Damrong is an exemple for the rest of us.

Discussion 17 : 02/08/2012 at 10:47 AM

In the governments manifesto one of there priorities was to cut out the cancerous corruption why dos she want to get involved in this case at all. We know why sacrifice the poor for the good of the rich. Did nobody see these things being built.Why bid they not stop it then?.

Discussion 18 : 02/08/2012 at 10:45 AM

Did someone mention a Thai cabinet meeting? That's one of meetings where there are so many folks they can't even see each other right? Obama could hold a cabinet meeting in any average sized room, and Noy Noy Aquino your ASEAN neighbor doesn't even hold cabinet meetings because he doesn't see why all of those different departments ever need to meet together anyway. I guess Noy Noy is a kind of CEO type leader. Aught oh, maybe I shouldnada said it quite that way.

Discussion 19 : 02/08/2012 at 10:44 AM

D3 ,Musashi you make a good argument that logically is spot on. As the chairman of Shin Corp and PM at the time, he knew what he did was wrong. By doing it when he knew it was wrong shows his intent to circumvent the laws.

Discussion 20 : 02/08/2012 at 09:26 AM

Everytime something happens another committee is set up to study the problem. Is there anybody in the Govt actually doing any work other than Mr. Domrong?

Discussion 21 : 02/08/2012 at 09:26 AM

Punish the good and reward the criminal is becoming all to familiar lately .The law is there to protect you and the parks .Dont be afraid to enforce the law .Being right will never go out of fashion even if the current trend is to change it for your benefit .

Discussion 22 : 02/08/2012 at 08:47 AM

All of these cases went to court, the owners were found guilty and ordered to vacate the premises and tear down the buildings. Mr. Damrong is merely enforcing the law - very unusual for a Thai Gvt Official - so I say more power to him.

Discussion 23 : 02/08/2012 at 08:45 AM

@ Discussion 9 It's great that the Prime Minister's Office has chosen to involve itself in this matter. Now, if this unjust transfer actually happens, the PTP will have fallen into another political trap so perfect their opposition could not have made one better.

Discussion 24 : 02/08/2012 at 08:29 AM

Why is the prime minister's office is involved? This has nothing to do with the PM office because Mr. Damrong was acting in accordance to the court order. Whoever wish to argue this case must be at the court and nowhere else.

Discussion 25 : 02/08/2012 at 08:18 AM

Why do we need the cabinet to set up an investigation? The matter is already under investigation by another committee from Natural resources and Environments Ministry - which is responsible for National Parks etc and whose minister could report results to cabinet if they are interested. Seems Khun Damrong was simply implimenting court orders - what is there to investigate? Hope the BP will follow this story and highlight any people transfers or unfair compensation paid to resort owners

Discussion 26 : 02/08/2012 at 06:52 AM

This incident also reminds us of the illegal purchase of the land used by Alpine Golf Club led by Thaksin and his cronies. Alpine needs to be razed to the ground and the land given back to the temple from which it was stolen. And Thaksin thrown in jail.

Discussion 27 : 02/08/2012 at 06:46 AM

No wonder we're losing forest area by day. All my wholehearted support to Khun Damrong.

Discussion 28 : 02/08/2012 at 05:44 AM

So the courts ordered it. Well, assuming every body got a fair hearing and the decision was proper, there should be nothing more to discuss. This shows how so much of Thailand just doesn't want to really obey or concede to the legal authority system. They know the military coups have taken over from time to time without courts, so why should the average Thai or even the influential Thais feel compelled to obey the court orders? Were the owners given legal eviction warnings?

Discussion 29 : 02/08/2012 at 04:27 AM

How come it touk so long time to see the problem ...it didnt take a few months but few years ...

Discussion 30 : 02/08/2012 at 02:42 AM

This incident reminds us of Surayud Chulanont, one of the leaders of the coup junta who became PM. He was chairman of the Khao Yai National Park Protection Foundation. He was found owning big land plots and houses in Khao Yai which are located within forest reserve land under the Ministry's decades old code. As the chairman of the foundation, he knew what he did was wrong. By doing it when he knew it was wrong shows his intent to circumvent the laws. To protect the pristine image of the institution, Surayud should resign from his post as Privy Councillor.

Discussion 31 : 02/08/2012 at 02:25 AM

"If I don't do it, I will be found guilty of ignoring my duties". More importantly, if he doesn't do it, there are just more examples of how laws can be ignored for the sake of a few. More power to you, Mr. Domrong. Thailand needs far more people like you.

Discussion 32 : 02/08/2012 at 02:09 AM

Could this be a case of a civil servant actually doing his job and protect the environment from shameless exploitation and greed? Seeing as he's about to retire, he doesn't have his career to worry about. Can't wait to see how this one plays out.