Phuket recognized for state land rights verification work at NLPC seminar

Phuket Province received an honorary award for the work of its Provincial Sub-Committee for Verification of State Land Rights at a National Land Policy Council seminar in Bangkok on Wednesday.

Vice Governor Adul attended the event on behalf of Phuket Governor Nirat Pongsitthaworn at The Berkeley Hotel Pratunam. The seminar marked the fifth anniversary of the National Land Policy Council and was held under the theme, “5 Years of NLPC: Building Land Security Towards Economic, Social, and Environmental Opportunities”.

The event was presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Songsak Thongsri, who also serves as chairman of the NLPC.

During the seminar, Phuket was honored for the work of its Provincial Land Management Committee in driving land management operations effectively and producing concrete results.

Officials said the award recognized agencies and working groups that have played significant roles in resolving land issues and improving the management of state land nationwide.

Songsak said the National Land Management Committee, together with agencies at the central, regional and local levels, has continued to advance policies on land and soil resource management. He said the work has focused in particular on allocating land for farming communities, resolving overlapping state land boundaries and verifying land rights on state land.

He described those efforts as an important mechanism for reducing inequality, creating land security and improving quality of life across the country.

Songsak also highlighted the operating concept of “One Land, One Law” or “One Area, One Responsible Agency”, which aims to improve unity in land management and reduce disputes through transparent, fair and scientifically based land-rights verification processes.

The seminar also presented results from the NLPC’s work over the past five years and provided a forum for participating agencies to exchange knowledge and experience. Activities included award presentations, academic seminars and exhibitions on land management innovations and products from community-based land management projects.