The decision followed a new survey on Thursday (Nov 28) of plots on her Khao Son Farm in Chom Bung district of Ratchaburi province, which confirmed the encroachment.
Made at the request of the Ratchaburi lawmaker, the survey centred on two parcels of land that officials on Sunday (Nov 24) suspected were occupied illegally.
Department director-general Attapol Charoenchansa said on Friday that the fresh results substantiated the suspicion as the two parcels, which are part of a 690-rai plot on the chicken farm, are located in the agency’s land, although details are slightly different.
The check on Sunday found 31 rai stood in the Pha Chi Forest Reserve and another 15-rai plot was located in a forest under the protection of the Forest Act.
Violations of the National Reserved Forest Act carry a maximum jail term of 20 years for encroachment on more than 25 rai, and the Forest Act calls for a prison term up to 15 years for violations.
The official said he would announce the findings in detail on Monday before the department seeks police action against Ms Pareena, known for her outspoken criticism of opposition politicians.
Her case first came to public attention just days after she accused the mother of Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit of encroaching on public land, also in Ratchaburi.
In her declaration to the National Anti-Corruption Commission after the election, the PPRP lawmaker reported that 1,706 rai of her farmland was among her family’s assets.
The plots became contentious after opposition parties asked the NACC to examine accusations that Ms Pareena was illegally encroaching on the land as it was meant to be allocated for landless farmers.
Ms Pareena on Thursday assigned her lawyers to ask Chom Bung police to look into the actions of Royal Forest Department officials, saying they might have broken into her property without a search warrant from the court.
But Mr Attapol on Friday shrugged off her move, saying his officials had performed their duty as assigned and did not cross onto her private property while carrying out their surveys of state land.
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