“Alpine” scandal just tip of land-grabbing iceberg

 

 

The fate of former Pheu Thai Party leader and former deputy prime minister Yongyuth Wichaidit, sent to two years in jail earlier this week in connection with the Alpine golf course scandal, is different things to different people. Sympathisers see the Thaksin connection, or a political conspiracy to be exact. Critics say he deservedly got it coming having served the powers–that–be instead of the people. To the neutrals, what is taking the Thai justice system so long?

 

The scandal began before Thaksin Shinawatra was at his political peak. It featured greed, abuse of political power in blatant defiance of the law to get what ones wanted, and more abuse of power to cover up the first one.

 

Not many of today’s youngsters know the background of the case. Nuem Chamnarnchatsakda, a late wealthy land-lady,  donated her 924 rai of land to the Thammika Voraviharn Temple in a 1969 will. Because of the temple’s willingness to cash in on the land, it was sold to a foundation in 1990 despite legal restrictions against such change of ownership. The controversial transfer took place when Snoh Thienthong was deputy interior minister in charge of the Land Department and Thaksin was still focused on businesses and just a new face in politics. The new owner sold the land to a company which was to build the Alpine Golf Course and had Snoh’s wife and younger brother among key stakeholders.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/alpine-scandal-just-tip-of-land-grabbing-iceberg/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2020-02-19

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"The scandal began before Thaksin Shinawatra was at his political peak. It featured greed, abuse of political power in blatant defiance of the law to get what ones wanted, and more abuse of power to cover up the first one."

 Thank goodness that was a fluke.... as we all know, all that type of corruption has been wiped out by those dear leaders who risked it all, dared to overthrow last corrupt administration and return happiness to the Thai people.

Corruption has ended! Move along, nothing to see here. (reactions may vary, depending on tone of voice when reading)

I'm going to be the devil's advocate and go along with our Thai friends who are on this forum:

We have the same, often much worse, in our own countries in Europe or the USA.

I sometimes compare these two countries that I know well: France where I was born and lived 57 years and Thailand where I have lived for 14 years;

When we try to dig a little and it's easy now with the internet, I realized that the corrupt in Thailand are still playing in the kindergarten playground compared to even France.
here, corruption is a few or several million baht;
in France it often rises to several billion euros.
Not really the same order of magnitude ....

One of the biggest eye openers for me was after spending time in Thailand hearing about and reading corruption. I then returned to Australia and it hit me like a freight train, there's not much difference corruption in Australia is hidden behind a misguided public belief that corruption is something that happens in other countries. 

Yeah, corruption everywhere, human nature. The difference is, I suppose, we (the UK) have a relatively independent Judiciary, so if it does get uncovered it gets properly investigated, regardless of who's in power.

At the apex of this matterhorn is a Mont Blanc siging off immunity .

Eiger sanction the lot or have some Fohn.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The fate of former Pheu Thai Party leader

Reminds me of what happened to the Leninists once Stalin took power. 

36 minutes ago, nausea said:

relatively independent Judiciary,

The key word here is "relatively" ????

Looks like he's got a splendid toupee. 

The words "corruption" and "business" are interchangeable they mean the same thing in many instances and are often seen walking hand in hand or is that hand in your pocket?

3 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

I'm going to be the devil's advocate and go along with our Thai friends who are on this forum:

We have the same, often much worse, in our own countries in Europe or the USA.

I sometimes compare these two countries that I know well: France where I was born and lived 57 years and Thailand where I have lived for 14 years;

When we try to dig a little and it's easy now with the internet, I realized that the corrupt in Thailand are still playing in the kindergarten playground compared to even France.
here, corruption is a few or several million baht;
in France it often rises to several billion euros.
Not really the same order of magnitude ....

I agree. Thai people often say that my country isnt corrupt but I tell them it's full of corruption and the money involved is breath taking. Western countries have been corrupt for so long it's hardly noticeable. Not to mention imperialism, racism, wars that all were faught because of western countries, etcๆๆๆ. So for the white folks to be so racist to Thai's on this forum kind of shows how uncritical we can be of our own kind. Everyday there is murder, drunk driving deaths, stupid preventable accidents that kill people in our own countries but we come on to this website and trash the Thai people, who for the most part  have welcomed us into their country with open arms, so we can get our feeling of superiority. 

 

Self reflection is much harder than looking outward and criticizing those around us. 

4 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

in France it often rises to several billion euros.
Not really the same order of magnitude ....

Tony Blair would agree with you, he just used a different country!  

Still don't understand!
So In 1969 an old woman donated land located in Pathum Thani Bangkok to a Temple in Prachuap Khiri Khan.
In 1990 The temple sold the land to the Maha­mongkut Ratchawittayalai Foundation who then sold it to the land to the Alpine Golf Course

Quote

The controversial transfer took place when Snoh Thienthong was deputy interior minister in charge of the Land Department and Thaksin was still focused on businesses and just a new face in politics. The new owner sold the land to a company which was to build the Alpine Golf Course and had Snoh’s wife and younger brother among key stakeholders.

Quote

The Shinawatra family, building its political clout, finally bought the golf course for around Bt500 million. But the Council of State then renounced the temple’s land transfer, leaving the Land Department with no choice but to try to annul the private ownership of the donated land.

Seems Sanoh Thienthong was the bad guy i all this and nobody realy cared until Thaksin bought the Golf Course in 20??

 

as long as greed persists no place on this earth is immune..

1 hour ago, monkfish said:

Still don't understand!
So In 1969 an old woman donated land located in Pathum Thani Bangkok to a Temple in Prachuap Khiri Khan.
In 1990 The temple sold the land to the Maha­mongkut Ratchawittayalai Foundation who then sold it to the land to the Alpine Golf Course

Seems Sanoh Thienthong was the bad guy i all this and nobody realy cared until Thaksin bought the Golf Course in 20??

 

Perhaps because Thaksin was the first person who thought he was so far above the law that, while knowing the scandalous history of the land, believed he could sell it on for development without worrying about the consequences. This has always been his M.O., and was cemented when he managed to get himself declared innocent in the horrible 2001 case that started this all. 

 

This belief in infalibility and unwillingness to yield to the law or anyone else is a typical failing of demagogues like Thaksin.  Witness the similarities with America's current demagogue in office. It isn't a problem specific just to Thaksin or Thais. Corruption exists everywhere as long as it remains hidden, and only becomes serious when it reaches the point of being flagrant and obvious.

 

6 hours ago, mickey rat said:

Reminds me of what happened to the Leninists once Stalin took power. 

or " The Night of the Long Knives "

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_of_the_Long_Knives

 

It seems to me that Mao Zedong did something similar too ...

2 hours ago, Monomial said:

Perhaps because Thaksin was the first person who thought he was so far above the law that, while knowing the scandalous history of the land, believed he could sell it on for development without worrying about the consequences. This has always been his M.O., and was cemented when he managed to get himself declared innocent in the horrible 2001 case that started this all. 

 

This belief in infalibility and unwillingness to yield to the law or anyone else is a typical failing of demagogues like Thaksin.  Witness the similarities with America's current demagogue in office. It isn't a problem specific just to Thaksin or Thais. Corruption exists everywhere as long as it remains hidden, and only becomes serious when it reaches the point of being flagrant and obvious.

 

Didn't this happen before he bought it and took office i.e became p.m?

Edited February 19, 20206 yr by monkfish

Religion, politics, greed and the need for power tend to go hand in hand, including financial commerce.

 

Humans seem to care less about each other plus nature focusing their efforts on materialistic things: Merc, BMW, iPhone, gold, power etc plus greed.

 

Sad world.

14 hours ago, monkfish said:

Didn't this happen before he bought it and took office i.e became p.m?

Does that matter?