This information is for reference only and is not legal advice. Consult a licensed lawyer before any transaction.
National Park Act
National Park Act B.E. 2562 (2019)
This material was prepared with the help of artificial intelligence and is not legal advice. Check key terms with a licensed lawyer.
Responsible for content: Leonid Ustinov, Aster Of Asia Co., Ltd.
The information is updated monthly from official sources.
In short
Protects conservation land: occupying, clearing or building in parks is a crime, the cause of defective, frozen or revoked titles on Samui and Phuket.
national-park-purpose: Purpose and legal basis of the Act
The Act replaces the 1961 National Park Act and restricts private rights in order to preserve parks, botanical gardens and similar protected areas, and to manage their natural resources and biodiversity for lasting, balanced benefit. The restrictions are justified under the constitutional provision allowing limits on individual rights and freedoms by statute.
national-park-effective-date: Entry into force and publication
The Act was signed on 24 May 2019, published in the Royal Gazette on 29 May 2019 (volume 136, part 71 A), and took effect on the date of its signing, as recorded in the official register. Buyers should treat it as the governing statute for park areas, superseding the earlier 1961 law.
national-park-designation: Designation of national park land
Land is brought into the national park system through a formal designation process by the competent authorities. Once land falls within a designated boundary, it is state-controlled protected territory, and ordinary private ownership, sale or development of it is not available.
national-park-prohibited-acts: Prohibited acts inside parks
Inside a park, it is generally forbidden to occupy or clear land, build structures, cut or collect plants, hunt, or remove natural materials without permission. These prohibitions apply to everyone, including foreign nationals, and underpin the rule that park land cannot be developed as private property.
national-park-permits: Permission for activities and use
Certain activities, such as research, tourism services or limited facilities, may be allowed only with prior authorization from the park authorities and on stated conditions. Any permission is revocable, does not create ownership or lasting land rights, and must be followed strictly.
national-park-existing-occupants: Pre-existing occupation and community rights
The Act addresses people who lived or farmed in an area before it became a park, providing for surveying, verification and managed arrangements rather than automatic ownership. Claims depend on proof and on the procedure set by the authorities, so a prior holding does not guarantee a transferable title.
national-park-fees: Entry fees and service charges
Visitors may be charged entrance fees and charges for services and facilities, set by regulation. Foreign visitors commonly pay different rates from Thai nationals. Revenue is directed to park management and conservation under the framework the Act and its implementing rules establish.
national-park-officials-powers: Powers of park officials
Authorized officials may inspect, stop and question suspects, seize equipment or illegally taken items, and take enforcement action against violations within park boundaries. Property owners and tourists should cooperate with officials, as obstruction can itself lead to liability.
national-park-penalties: Penalties for violations
Breaches, including unlawful occupation, construction or clearing of park land, carry criminal penalties of imprisonment and fines, with heavier sanctions for serious or large-scale damage. Courts may also order removal of structures and restoration of the area at the offender's cost.
national-park-due-diligence: Practical due diligence for buyers
Before buying land or a villa near a protected area, verify the title deed type and check official boundary maps to confirm the plot lies outside park or forest reserve limits. Land inside a park cannot be validly sold to a foreigner or a Thai, so a seller's claims are not enough.