More than 5,000 rai of forest reserve has been encroached upon by influential people linked to politicians, forestry officials said yesterday. Forestry officials and border patrol police inspected the Khaochangpuek reserve in Huay Kob village, in the Sangkhla Buri district in Thailand on Wednesday and found 5,760 rai of land cleared. Perennial trees such as cashew, tamarind and native sa-tau trees (Parkin speciosa) had been planted.