Police chief admits "people of influence" behind Koh Lipe police station land dispute

 

 

The deputy chief of the national police says the cops are fighting a battle with people of influence on the southern holiday island of Koh Lipe.

Land amounting to 10 rai that was slated for police use in 1989 has been eaten up by developers building resorts.

The police have been left with a measly 200 square wah - barely enough room to build a decent sized house. 

The land was meant to be for various operations that would benefit the public but is now in the hands of rich locals making 100s of millions of baht a year.

Wirachai Sonmetta has been in the area the last two days to assess the situation and knows that he has a battle on his hands.

He was joined by land department chiefs and national park bosses.

TNA reported that the next effort to reclaim land from the influential people is to go after the civil servants who have connived with them in the land deals.

Source: http://www.tnamcot.com/view/5a091c07e3f8e40ada8e50a3

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-11-13

Very likely that big army and police guys themselves are involved, either directly, or in providing protection for a fee.

Koh Lipe is a beautiful island but it has been destroyed by over-development and pollution. These resorts and hotels are making a fortune. But none of them give back a penny towards keeping the island clean. There's rubbish and industrial waste everywhere. Common sense would dictate that if they kept the island clean, more tourists would enjoy it there and go back. If all the businesses contributed a relatively small amount they could employ an army of litter pickers. It's pure greed.

Not much will happen... so it just goes on...

Some will say why allot land for policing or bureaucratic issues, by the beach or in areas that obviously will attract the real estate jackals ?

 

Others may consider to allot land space inside the territory in a more neutral space, that would be a bit more centralized for all parts of  the island....

 

On a personal note, if the land was lying idle since 1989 when obviously it had no real estate value, why are the cops suddenly claiming on it now that the value seems to have gained x times it's initial worth ?

4 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Some will say why allot land for policing or bureaucratic issues, by the beach or in areas that obviously will attract the real estate jackals ?

 

Others may consider to allot land space inside the territory in a more neutral space, that would be a bit more centralized for all parts of  the island....

 

On a personal note, if the land was lying idle since 1989 when obviously it had no real estate value, why are the cops suddenly claiming on it now that the value seems to have gained x times it's initial worth ?

 

On the other hand why didn't the senior cops stop the encroachment 20 - 30 years ago.

 

On the other hand, in terms of allocation of land for police purposes, was this location an appropriate spot in terms of the police doing their assigned work?

 

Every police station should be located where there is a need to serve and protect a community and IMHO land prices shouldn't even be in the discussion. 

 

 

 

 

It was given to the police to use.  And why does a police force need an island to use ?  To perhaps hide somebody or something ?  The best way to hand something to the Thai elites is to put it under the control of the government.  Mind you, it is hard to figure out what cannot be taken away by the elite in Thailand.

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

He was joined by land department chiefs and national park bosses.
TNA reported that the next effort to reclaim land from the influential people is to go after the civil servants who have connived with them in the land deals.

Yes, quite an effort, glad he has the LDCs and NPBs to give him a hand...

37 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

Yes, quite an effort, glad he has the LDCs and NPBs to give him a hand...

Perhaps someone(?) could ask the courts to grant an order to cease operations (with the exception of the RTP current use) on the disputed land pending a court case. That my flush out the 'influential persons' who will fear the loss of their investment.

 

But is it too hard to go through land records to see who gave "permission" for this current use and prosecute them (after some plea bargaining to give up others in this scam)?

I think it is a matter of figuring out how many times you can sell the same land over and over illegally to the same people.........Build the damn Police station on some hill inland goddamn it.

10 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Some will say why allot land for policing or bureaucratic issues, by the beach or in areas that obviously will attract the real estate jackals ?

 

Others may consider to allot land space inside the territory in a more neutral space, that would be a bit more centralized for all parts of  the island....

 

On a personal note, if the land was lying idle since 1989 when obviously it had no real estate value, why are the cops suddenly claiming on it now that the value seems to have gained x times it's initial worth ?

Value or not, fact is the land has been taken by people that are not the owners in a shady way, probably with help from civil servants.

No ploblem..... area now comes with good accommodation and sporting facility for after hours use.

 

reclaim it in the name of the law.... and the lovely beach can be used for interdepartmental training (sundowners)

15 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

Koh Lipe is a beautiful island but it has been destroyed by over-development and pollution. These resorts and hotels are making a fortune. But none of them give back a penny towards keeping the island clean. There's rubbish and industrial waste everywhere. Common sense would dictate that if they kept the island clean, more tourists would enjoy it there and go back. If all the businesses contributed a relatively small amount they could employ an army of litter pickers. It's pure greed.

Sad but true elsewhere besides Koh Lipe. Keeping tourist areas and beaches clean, maintaining property, investing in the property improving all the time are simply not Thai values. I've been here a long time and I see it all the time.....when a hotel opens with its untrained staff and contractors still making noise and leaving construction materials all over the hotel site, people don't realize that this is the best it is ever going to be....

Only in Thailand. What chance that they will fix ANYTHING such as direct sewerage as a basic requirement for long term gain to attract tourists. Answer "Buckley's". LOL= ( Land of Losers)