Former Phuket official jailed over Bt700m title deed scam

By The Nation

 

 

A FORMER official of the Phuket Provincial Land Office has been jailed for five years for his role in the illegal issuance of a title deed for a seven-rai plot on Sirinat National Park’s Layan Beach.

 

The land’s value has been estimated at Bt700 million.

 

Former land surveyor Sakkarin Sutthicharawattana was found guilty by the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases of abusing his authority by colluding with other officials to issue the deed.

 

He was also convicted of planning to falsify state documents so they would align with information provided by the purchaser, Anuparp Vejvanijsanong, Department of Special Investigation (DSI) deputy chief Pol Lt Colonel Prawuth Wongsinil said. 

 

Park officials evicted private-sector occupants in 2004 and the property has since been used as a base of operations for the Layan Forest Protection Unit, though the title deed remained valid. 

 

The Land Department can now use the court verdict in the case to revoke the outstanding title deed, Prawuth said. He estimated the property’s worth at the popular seaside locale at Bt700 million, or Bt100 million per rai.

 

 

Prawuth explained that Anuparp obtained title deed No 20777 in September 2001 based on a Sor Kor 1 (SK-1) claim certificate that had been under another man’s name and was then transferred to two women. 

 

The authorities found that the property was actually in a different location than stated in the SK-1 certificate. It had not been occupied or used before May 1954 as claimed, Prawuth said. It had been identified as a “sand dune” and thus would not qualify for SK-1 status, he said. 

 

Anuparp and the two women whose names appeared on the SK-1 document were deemed liable for legal action. 

 

The late Tawatchai Anukul, former chief of the Phuket Provincial Land Office who was also charged, died in mysterious circumstances in August 2016 while in DSI custody.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30349774

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-11

More to follow... ???

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

The late Tawatchai Anukul, former chief of the Phuket Provincial Land Office who was also charged, died in mysterious circumstances in August 2016 while in DSI custody.

So this guy can consider himself very lucky not to end up like the chappy above, or is he? the fat lady hasn't sung yet it appear...

13 minutes ago, webfact said:

Former land surveyor Sakkarin Sutthicharawattana

We have had surveyors do their thing on several occasions. Actually, these guys are rather low on the totem pole in officialdom.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Former land surveyor Sakkarin Sutthicharawattana was found guilty by the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases of abusing his authority by colluding with other officials to issue the deed.

What's the chance he might collude with Department of Corrections officials to change his sentence from five years to five days.

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

by colluding with other officials to issue the deed.

Are we to assume the "other officials" have all passed away or are more cases underway with people to be convicted soon? We are told one other official has died in mysterious surroundings, so were these two the only suspects?

3 hours ago, webfact said:

100 million per rai.

Wow , the sky is the limit ...

Another problem is the complexity of different land title's in Thailand, Chanotes,sor kors,and a plethora of others.

Most of the land deeds recorded at the Phuket Land Office are phoney-baloney.  Deeds for conservation land or just plain fake deeds are common place.  A real investigation would probably result in imprisoning just about every official who has ever worked in that office. 

Has the vice governor that was involved in all of this been sentenced yet?  There are many news account of his involvement in these scams/schemes/frauds.

A good beginning, should have many colleagues joining him. No shortage of candidates for such here in Phuket.

"Adam and Eve in The Garden of Eden",  Yuri Spitchov The Younger, c2018:

 

 

 

 

Worth 700 million. Ridiculous, if it can't be developed it is virtually worthless.

Good to see an example is being made.

I dont care who , as long as the punishment causes others to think twice.

 

And  Ulic is correct - the amounts local Thais would love to think their land is worth is just preposterous .