Natural resource management, environmental policy and related laws in Thailand require public participation -- a term that may not find a place in the military's vocabulary. Meanwhile, the policy on forest reclamation has disillusioned grassroots activists and villagers living in forest areas. After the coup, the junta launched a policy to reclaim forest land. Yet the policy to reclaim forest land leads to massive forced evictions: 8,148 villages in 1,253 forest plots are reportedly targeted for resettlement. Over three years, society has paid a high price for the junta's environmental policy and resource management.

Source: Bangkok Post May 21, 2017 21:56 UTC