The first plot, covering over 37 rai, allegedly intruded into the Kuan Daeng protected forest while the other plot, covering over 14 rai, reportedly encroached on the Klong Kantan protected forest.

Damages to the forests were estimated to be worth more than Bt6 million.

Marine and Coastal Resources Management Office 7 director Suthep Kritrachatanan said the operation was carried out according to the Marine and Coastal Resources Department’s policy to reclaim 15,000 rai of mangrove forestland nationwide.

Suthep said his office planned this fiscal year to reclaim 186 plots covering 4,300 rai, including 60 plots totalling 1,389 rai in Krabi, 85 plots of 1,947 rai in Satun, and 41 plots of 982.5 rai in Trang.

So far, Marine and Coastal Resources Management Office 7 had reclaimed 500 rai.