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[Rooo]

Panel finds Suthep's son bought from a firm set up two years after purchase.

Two key Democrat MPs are under fire over land plots on Koh Samui following allegations by the opposition party about their questionable acquisition.

Rest of article The Nation

[maccaroni man]

Funny just a week or so ago my wife was sharing a story about a group from bkk that had come to the island wanting to look into land holdings and how the locals kept trying to get them to look into the land holdings thaksins right hand man (woman) owns on the island but they only wanted to know about the dems. the samuians were not friendly to this inquiry or the group so it was a short stay. i guess the grape vine still is a better source of news than our local papers

[sbk]

No, I saw it in the paper. Phuea Thai people came to Samui to investigate the Dem land holdings (coz why would we investigate illegally purchased hillside property by former TRT Cabinet members?), were surrounded by angry locals and the police had to protect them. May have been Bk Post, may have been the nation. Can't recall where I saw it exactly, sorry.

[Gulfsailor]

No, I saw it in the paper. Phuea Thai people came to Samui to investigate the Dem land holdings (coz why would we investigate illegally purchased hillside property by former TRT Cabinet members?), were surrounded by angry locals and the police had to protect them. May have been Bk Post, may have been the nation. Can't recall where I saw it exactly, sorry.

From what I understood watching the census debate two weeks ago, Suthep was hammered by the opposition on how he managed to acquire 14 rai of untitled land in Maenam (which one shouldn't be able to purchase in the first place) and how it ended up to become 63 rai with a Chanote title 2 years later....

[pookiki]

Why is it that Thai politicians feel this urge to buy land in conservation districts or in land dedicated to farming like Privy Council member Surayud? It would seem that there is sufficient land that is both desirable and legally available to purchase without resorting to these type of illegal transactions -- and where is the oversight? Is corruption so ingrained in this society that cases like this will continue to surface?

[LivinLOS]

Why is it that Thai politicians feel this urge to buy land in conservation districts or in land dedicated to farming like Privy Council member Surayud? It would seem that there is sufficient land that is both desirable and legally available to purchase without resorting to these type of illegal transactions -- and where is the oversight? Is corruption so ingrained in this society that cases like this will continue to surface?

Erm.. because they dont pay for it.. They just fudge the titles.. Or at least buy have it early worthless land and upgraded to high value land.

If they buy titled legal land from people, that has value, and they would have to pay for it..

[Samuian]

Why is it that Thai politicians feel this urge to buy land in conservation districts or in land dedicated to farming like Privy Council member Surayud? It would seem that there is sufficient land that is both desirable and legally available to purchase without resorting to these type of illegal transactions -- and where is the oversight? Is corruption so ingrained in this society that cases like this will continue to surface?

Erm.. because they dont pay for it.. They just fudge the titles.. Or at least buy have it early worthless land and upgraded to high value land.

If they buy titled legal land from people, that has value, and they would have to pay for it..

However money does change hands, which aren't necessarily the hands of it's rightful owners, , or the states coffers !

Think this is very close to the truth, regarding all these allegations... however "Ms.20%" former Public Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan, high profile TRT Member is holding large areas of land in the Chaweng hills and this is certainly NOT the exception how many membersof Parliament and how many more around them?

Unusully rich?

How come, where from?

Well, well, well TiT!

"Money for nothin' and the chicks for free!"

Is the 1. and last commandment in this as in many other countries... and people follow them strictly!

Part of the patronage, feudalsystem, never been reformed, maybe this action will start some self cleansing process - who knows and who cares?

[maccaroni man]

Why is it that Thai politicians feel this urge to buy land in conservation districts or in land dedicated to farming like Privy Council member Surayud? It would seem that there is sufficient land that is both desirable and legally available to purchase without resorting to these type of illegal transactions -- and where is the oversight? Is corruption so ingrained in this society that cases like this will continue to surface?

It isnt just the politicians, back in the boom say 2000 there were many start up land speculators and developers buying land and paying the land office for the upgrade, if the govt ever did come to samui as they have in phucket they would find more than a few high end houses and developments on tobo (sp) land. I was told by a man working in the land office in hh who is from samui that he could not work in samui because it was one of the most requested post in the land office and he was way down in the que. must explain why some of the guys working there earn 14k baht a month salary and drive lexus, tit