Deputy interior minister oversees Sirinat National Park land reclamation in Phuket

Deputy Interior Minister Polpeer Suwanchawee visited Phuket on Friday to oversee progress on the government’s “Phuket Model,” a coordinated campaign to reclaim encroached land within Sirinat National Park.

The inspection brought together senior officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Department of Lands, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, and the Phuket provincial administration. The focus was on enforcing land revocations and dismantling illegal structures.

Polpeer said the government’s position was firm, stating that no one would be exempt from the law. He said the campaign was intended not only to recover public land but also to restore trust through transparent, evidence-based enforcement.

According to the source, the Department of Lands has already annulled land deeds found to have been improperly issued. Authorities have also posted notices ordering occupants to remove structures within the legal timeframe.

If those orders are ignored, officials will seek court approval to proceed with demolitions and recover costs from violators, the report said.

The deputy minister also ordered expanded checks in surrounding conservation areas for suspicious land documents, with the aim of ensuring that no unlawful titles remain.

Polpeer said the campaign was not about punishing past actions without evidence. He said each case would be reviewed using documentation and witness testimony, including scrutiny of the role of officials involved in issuing land rights.

The government says the “Phuket Model” is part of a broader policy to combat encroachment on natural resources by coordinating action across ministries and local agencies. The stated goal is to restore Sirinat National Park as a protected public asset and preserve its ecological and economic value.