Pheu Thai MP Prompong Inspects Bt4bn 'Stolen' Phuket Land

[webfact]

Pheu Thai's Prompong inspects B4bn 'stolen' Phuket land

Phuket Gazette

The view from the land in question, valued at least at 3 billion baht, overlooks Freedom Beach. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

Pheu Thai Party spokesman and party list MP Prompong Nopparit (right) speaking with Kamnan Winai, chief of Karon Subdictrict. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

VIDEO

PHUKET: -- Pheu Thai Party spokesman and party list MP Prompong Nopparit arrived in Phuket yesterday to inspect 65 rai of land near Patong that is under investigation for having been illegally issued land titles.

The land, located behind Freedom Beach on the southern headland south of Patong, was brought to the attention of the National Counter Corruption Commission after it was discovered there was an attempt to sell the 65 rai for about 4 billion baht – an amount equivalent to about US$125.78 million.

The case first came to light in September 2010, when the Director-General of the Royal Forest Department at the time, Somchai Piensathaporn, informed the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) of irregularities concerning the issue of land title deeds for the Freedom Beach land.

The resulting PACC investigation revealed high-ranking involvement from government departments both in Phuket and Krabi.

PACC Secretary-General Amphol Wongsiri in July this year stated that his investigation revealed that 200 million baht had been paid to officials for approval and authorization of the suspect land deeds.

At the time the evidence was being collected for onward transmission to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) in Bangkok.

The government has now sent their own representative to give new impetus to the investigation and to scrutinize the land title deeds in an attempt to discover how they came to be issued.

Mr Prompong, who visited Freedom Beach and the surrounding forest with the relevant officials yesterday, said, “The complainant, suspecting corruption, questioned the legality of two deeds for a parcel of divided land deemed protected national forest.

“In order to be fair to the complainant, the landowners and the officials implicated, the matter requires to be investigated thoroughly,” he said.

Mr Phrompong pointed out that the issue involves many government departments, including the Natural Resources and Environment Office and the Land Office, as well as several provincial officers.

The investigation will involve questioning past and present provincial officers, forestry officers, natural resources officers and land officers, he added.

“Looking only at the documents and title deeds, everything appears to be in order. However, an inspection of the land itself indicates that there is a conflict with several Phuket Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment regulations,” said Mr Prompong.

He explained that a site survey had proved the land in question is within the boundaries of the Khao Narkkerd Preservation Forest and that SorPorKor documents (which entitle a right to occupy and use the land but not own or sell it) currently value the 65 rai at more than 3bn baht.

“Another issue is that some of the land has a slope of over 35 degrees, designating it as a ‘mountain area’. The current title deeds do not apply to this type of terrain. In any case, title deeds cannot be issued for land within a protected forest. Any government officers complicit in this case are guilty,” he said.

“The evidence was suspicious enough to warrant further investigation as it might involve past and present high-ranking government officials. We will send an official request to Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment officers to have them examine the case, meanwhile the DSI will be asked whether this is a special case or not,” said Mr Prompong.

“In addition, I will send a letter to the Minister of Interior asking them to order the Land Director-General to examine this place. Also Justice Minister Pracha Promnog will be asked to join the land examination,” he added.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle12000.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-01-14

[LivinginKata]

4 Billion baht - lot & lots of slush money floating about there.

[Soupdragon]

4 Billion baht - lot & lots of slush money floating about there.

Enough to bring VIPs from BKK sniffing around.

[thaiIand]

breaking news. Mr prompong opens an hotel in phuket.. next month

Freedombeach Inn

[LivinginKata]

4 Billion baht - lot & lots of slush money floating about there.

Enough to bring VIPs from BKK sniffing around.

That's what I thought ...

[bulmercke]

Reporters Without Borders writes that it is shocked to learn that Wisut “Ae Inside” Tangwittayaporn, a freelance journalist and member of the “Red Shirts” political movement, was gunned down by two men on a motorcycle today in the southwestern resort island of Phuket.

Reporters Without Borders demands that the authorities “carry out a thorough investigation into this murder, without ruling out the possibility that it was linked to his work as a journalist.”

Wisut was murdered while driving with his wife in Phuket. Police say the grouping of the shots suggested that the murder was carried out by professional killers and that his coverage of land disputes or other stories may have been the motive. The newspaper also reported the Wisut was the leader of a group opposed to the private use of a Phuket beach and had many enemies.

[bulmercke]

Strange how the Phuket Gazette completely fails to mention Wisut Tangwittayaporn in the OP who was gunned down just a couple of days ago almost certainly because of his public opposition and resistance to the issuance of suspect land deeds for Freedom Beach to an influential local Phuket figure.

[ozzieman05]

Buying and selling land illigally would never be done by the present government ministers.

What about about Mr. T

Sorry have to go, my phone is ringing

[Guest]

So, who is the 'owner' of the land?

[bulmercke]

So, who is the 'owner' of the land?

QUOTE: "Freedom Beach, which can only be reached by boat, has long had a reputation as “the secret beach you shouldn’t tell anyone else about”.

The visit follows a complaint to the Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) last year by a group of people calling themselves The Phuketians. They alleged that the occupier of the land, Pantong Na Ranong, had obtained title to it through "corrupt processes" involving 11 officials. The most prominent name on the list of those allegedly involved is that of former Phuket Governor Wichai Praisa'ngob, whose signature of approval appears on the title deed. Mr Wichai is now the appointed senator for Phuket."

Phuket News - 10 January 2012

[Jimi007]

Strange how the Phuket Gazette completely fails to mention Wisut Tangwittayaporn in the OP who was gunned down just a couple of days ago almost certainly because of his public opposition and resistance to the issuance of suspect land deeds for Freedom Beach to an influential local Phuket figure.

It was in a different article and thread. See:

[bulmercke]

Wisut's murder makes me extremely angry and sad at the same time. From what I've read - and from all accounts - he was a good man. Another dark day for Thailand.

[Expatinphuket]

Wisut's murder makes me extremely angry and sad at the same time. From what I've read - and from all accounts - he was a good man. Another dark day for Thailand.

It’s a really sad for Thailand who I care and feel for. Newspaper man who get kill to helping protect Thailand, the law and common people. Now the police already start to refuse getting help to solve the case. Really really sad.

I wish for Thailand that the officials and Police one day can be honest and proud in their jobs. I knows, only in my dreams.