Thai defence minister proposes public distribution of military-owned land

[webfact]

 

Sutin Klungsang, the Defence Minister, put forth a proposition to distribute some military-owned land to the local populace, as part of the governmental strategy to modernise the armed forces.

 

This was revealed by the Defence Ministry’s spokesperson, Thanitpong Sirisawetsak, post a Defence Council meeting. The 62 year old Sutin presented policies to the ministry’s department heads and the leaders of the four armed forces, which are to act as guideposts in executing their respective responsibilities.

 

According to Klungsang, the ministry’s operations must align with the constitution stipulations and other legal provisions. The commanders are instructed to carry out the national strategy and the government’s policy with the aim to bolster national security and public safety. This is also meant to enhance the ministry’s administrative system while supporting the government.

Thanitpong disclosed that the ministry is fast-tracking a government policy to modernise the armed forces. This policy has been criticised for allocating excessive funds for weapons procurement. 

 

by Mitch Connor

Picture courtesy of Bangkok Post.

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-10-05

 

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[mfd101]

Every day is an adventure in Thailand ...

[retarius]

My wife leases a few rai of army land so this may well work out well for us. I have been expecting changes and land reform for years, and had almost given up hope.

[impulse]

28 minutes ago, retarius said:

My wife leases a few rai of army land so this may well work out well for us. I have been expecting changes and land reform for years, and had almost given up hope.

Pretty soon, she'll be making those rent payments to retired military officers...

 

And I expect we'll be seeing massive resorts popping up on prime locations that were former military land.  Again, owned by retired military bigwigs.

 

"Reform" rarely looks like they promise.  I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

 

[rudi49jr]

How about the land ‘owned’ privately by the generals themselves? Prayuth alone owns so much land it would probably be enough for hundreds of farmers.
I understand there are (at least) 1,700 flag officers (generals and admirals) in the Thai army, so if they all donate just half of the land they ‘own’, that would be a huge step already. 

[Purdey]

I help support a school in Hua Hin (quite a drive from the town but same area) through a foundation. The land is owned by the army, which forbids electric power lines to be built. They don't want more people to move to the nearby village. 

Arranging for solar panels to be installed because the old ones there now hardly work and its classrooms are hot, running just a few fans.

After talking to the district office and being told they can't do anything, this is the news I have been waiting for. Except that the news item says "some" land.

Fingers crossed.

[retarius]

44 minutes ago, impulse said:

Pretty soon, she'll be making those rent payments to retired military officers...

 

And I expect we'll be seeing massive resorts popping up on prime locations that were former military land.  Again, owned by retired military bigwigs.

 

"Reform" rarely looks like they promise.  I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

 

You may be correct. Who can tell what land reform will look like. TIT. One thing is for sure, they will make a pig's ear of it.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Thanitpong disclosed that the ministry is fast-tracking a government policy to modernise the armed forces. This policy has been criticised for allocating excessive funds for weapons procurement. 

Modern weapons in the hands of idiots.

[Sydebolle]

Thammanat came up with a similarly populistic "gift" by announcing that he might turn all those funny non-title deeds into real title deeds held by all those farmers for generations. 

It is - however - of possible interest to know, that both, Thammanat and Sutin, are giving away stuff which they never owned. They give away land to people who own in the first place; all this public land, irrespective of what srecwed-up land title deeds they are documented with, belongs to ....... the electorate, the citizen of Thailand, the tax payer. 

But yeah, go and explain THAT to the uncles and aunties upcountry ........ your call