DSL director-general Seksan Bangsomboon said prosecutors had been working their way through 20 boxes of files from the Department of Special Investiga-tion (DSI). He said the DSI had been asked to investigate again the exact location and territorial limit of the land as the information they had provided was imprecise.

Vatana, Inter Palm Oil Industry Co Ltd and nine executives of the company are alleged to have encroached on and issued titles for 13,000 rai of protected forestland in Phang Nga's Kapong district. They will be asked to attend the DSL on March 30 to hear whether a suit will be filed against them, Seksan said. The DSI had previously suggested Vatana and the executives be charged with violating the National Reserve Forest Act 1979 by conspiring to encroach on protected forest land.

This case was brought to light by Tambon Lay administration president Somchai Thippimol, who filed a report with the DSL that a group of people and government officials had conspired to encroach on protected forest and forged land documents in tambons Lay, Thana, and Rommanee since 1986.