The Royal Forest Department has clearly cleared up the issue of granting permission to the Vimuttayalai Foundation and the Vipassana Center, Rai Chern Tawan, to use or reside within the Doi Pui National Forest Reserve in Chiang Rai Province. An inspection found no encroachment on the additional area from the permission request.Mr. Bannarak Sermthong, Deputy Director-General of the Royal Forest Department and spokesman of the Royal Forest Department, presided over the press conference and revealed that the results of the investigation into the area that the Royal Forest Department allowed the Vimuttayalai Foundation and Rai Cherntawan Vipassana Center to utilize or reside in the Doi Pui National Forest Reserve, Mueang District, Chiang Rai Province, confirmed that the inspection of the area did not find any additional encroachment from the request for permission. The area is under the supervision of the Royal Forest Department. Initially, the Royal Forest Department would like to clarify that the Royal Fores t Department has allowed the National Office of Buddhism and the Vimuttayalai Foundation to utilize or reside in 3 national forest reserves, namely:Plot 1, area 113 rai 1 ngan 82 square wa, by Vimuttayalai Foundation, received permission from the Royal Forest Department on March 13, 2023 to be used as the location of the Buddhist Economics University, Dhammasamphot 750th Anniversary, Rattanaburi Chiang Rai, the Buddhist Economics Farmer School, and to be used as a place for Vipassana meditation.Plot 2, area 14 rai 3 ngan 97 square wa, was granted permission to use or reside in the national forest reserve on 23 November 2023 to be the location for the Rai Cheentawan Temple.Plot 3, area 11 rai 3 ngan 01 square wa, permitted by the National Office of Buddhism to build the Rai Cheentawan International Vipassana Center on 23 November 2023.In all three plots, the users must reforest the area according to the amount requested or requested for permission. If they do not reforest, they must pay the reforestati on fee to the Royal Forest Department within 5 years from the date of use. However, the temples requesting permission to use the forest area can request an area not exceeding 15 rai, and are allowed to use it for 30 years at a time, but can renew the permit to use if they comply with the regulations of the Royal Forest Department. In the past, there have been approximately 45,000 temples nationwide requesting to use the area so that monks can participate in taking care of the forest. Monks cannot cut down trees planted in the temple. The deputy director-general of the Royal Forest Department admitted that the Royal Forest Department was established 128 years ago and has more than 10,000 civil servants and employees, but it has to take care of more than 60 million rai of land. This is a big deal. Therefore, if the public finds anything suspicious, they can notify the local Royal Forest Department.The Royal Forest Department spokesman added that the Director-General of the Royal Forest Department has ordered Forest Resource Management Office 2 (Chiang Rai) to send officials to inspect the utilization of the Rai Cherntawan Vipassana Center since October 22. Officials from the Chiang Rai Provincial Office of Buddhism, administrative officials, local administrative organizations, and officials from the Vimuttayalai Foundation joined the inspection of three plots. They received a report from the inspection of the plot boundaries using a GPS device that Plot 1 covered approximately 113 rai, 1 ngan, and 70 square wah; Plot 2 covered approximately 14 rai, 3 ngan, and 90 square wah; and Plot 3 covered approximately 11 rai, 2 ngan, and 55 square wah. All three plots inspected were utilized in accordance with the permission granted by the Royal Forest Department. The inspection team concluded that the Vimuttayalai Foundation and the Chiang Rai Provincial Office of Buddhism had occupied and utilized areas in the national forest reserve that were within the boundaries specified in the permission letter.In addition, the gro up of officers jointly inspected the area where permission was requested. A sign was posted by the Royal Forest Department granting permission to the National Office of Buddhism to utilize the Doi Pui National Forest Reserve in Huai Sak Subdistrict, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai Province, in accordance with the National Forest Reserve Law, to build the Rai Chern Tawan Vipassana Center, and a sign posted by the Royal Forest Department granting permission to the National Office of Buddhism to utilize the Doi Pui National Forest Reserve in Huai Sak Subdistrict, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai Province, in accordance with the National Forest Reserve Law, to establish Wat Rai Chern Tawan, and a sign posted by the Royal Forest Department granting permission to the Vimuttayalai Foundation to utilize the Doi Pui National Forest Reserve in Huai Sak Subdistrict, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai Province, in accordance with the National Forest Reserve Law, to establish the location of the Buddhist Economics University, Dhamma Somphot 750th Anniversary, Rattanaburi Chiang Rai, and the Farmer Buddhist Economics School, and to request to use it as a place for Vipassana meditation. Boundary markers were installed around the plot to show the permitted area.Source: Thai News Agency