Lt-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd, the government spokesman, said on Tuesday that after an NCPO meeting, the government had decided to extend the time stated under the Navigation in Thai Waters Act for people to notify the authorities of their waterway encroachment.

NCPO order 32/2560 has therefore been issued to solve problems in enforcing the new law.

“The people will have 60 more days to inform officials about their encroachment, and during this period they will not be punished or fined. The government also extends by 180 days the time in which officials must consider whether to grant permission for each encroaching structure,” Sansern said.

He added that for waterway encroachment prior to 1973 in Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan, owners would have to notify officials to get their the structure legalised, but encroaching structures that were constructed after 1972 would be considered first as to whether the owners would be allowed to keep them or have them demolished.

The spokesman said the criteria for consideration for these post-1972 structures would be the impact of the structure on navigation and the environment, the necessity of the structure, and legal issues as per city-planning law.

No new waterway encroachment would be allowed, except for public structures, Sansern stressed.