Phuket, Phang-Na, Krabi Land Encroachment To Be Probed

[webfact]

LAND

Land encroachment to be probed

PONGPHON SARNSAMAK

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- More than 2,800 rai of forest area 'illegally acquired' in three Southern provinces of Phuket, Phang-Na, Krabi

The Royal Forest Department (RFD) will launch an investigation into the illegal acquisition of land in the three southern provinces of Phuket, Phang-Nga and Krabi after it discovered that more than 2,800 rai of forest reserve areas had been encroached upon over the past two years.

The move comes after the department recently discovered that about 65 rai of forest reserve areas in Phuket's Freedom Beach, worth Bt4 billion, had been taken over by wealthy people.

Samak Donnapee, chief of the department's Forest Land Management Bureau, said encroachment into forest reserves had been rising drastically over the past two years due mainly to the booming tourism industry and the rising price of agricultural products in Phuket, Phang-Nga and Krabi. Since 2010, about 2,848 rai of forest reserve land in Krabi, Phuket and Phang-Nga have been invaded.

"A lot of resorts and rubber plantation were found set up in these areas," Samak said.

The department will also investigate land title deeds and ownership documents issued in the past three years to see what entitles them to occupy forest reserves.

"We found that there were abnormalities in the issuance of land title deeds over the past few years," Samak said, adding that title deeds had been issued for most of the forest reserve areas.

The RFD will also study satellite images to determine how the encroached land is being used and will also check the age of the trees in the area to determine how much of the forest reserve has been destroyed.

"If we find that the so-called ownership is illegal, we will immediately arrest the people and demolish all structures built in the forest reserves," he said.

According to RFD's report, 2,265.52 square kilometres in Krabi, 2,408.68sqkm in Phang-Nga and 169.30sqkm in Phuket have been marked out as forest reserves.

Recently, the department found that wealthy people were encroaching into about 547 rai in the Ao Nang-Hang Nak forest reserve areas in Krabi.

"We found that one man was behind all this. He usually asks local officials to issue title deeds for his land, before he sells the land off to other wealthy people," Samak said.

In addition, he said that several of the new landowners had visited his office to seek interpretation of the aerial images captured of their land. They also asked officials to issue documents saying that their land was not located in forest reserves.

The department also found that there was an abnormality in the interpretation of the aerial images. It was discovered that some of the interpretations of aerial images of encroached land in Phuket's Freedom Beach, Phang-Nga's Koh Yao Island, and Prachuap Khiri Khan's Mae Ram Phung Beach had been done by one person. In reality, these aerial images need to be interpreted by a group of experts from the committee set up to solve problems with encroachment.

"Distorted interpretations might benefit rich people who want to own land in forest reserves," Samak said.

-- The Nation 2012-03-15

[Unkomoncents]

OK, so now the "wealthy" people did it. Does this mean a whole bunch of investors will lose their investments again?

""Distorted interpretations might benefit rich people who want to own land in forest reserves," Samak said."

How can you "own" land in a forest reserve? Clearly the legal definitions need a little closer analysis. Is the public aware, at all, of these "reserves"? This is so confusing...thanks for the morning headache Thailand.

[jalansanitwong]

Must be a slow news day. Land grabbing or encroachment has been going on in Thailand for many years. In Bangkok there are thousands of homes built on Buddha land usually near temples which can be issued with titles but are not actually legally for sale. Many Thais are on 200 b/monthpeppercorn rents from the late 70's and try to scam other Thais into buying the property..Thai disappears never to be seen or heard from again..Foreigners are obviously most vulnerable to property scams in Phuket,Krabi Samui etc where corruption goes to the highest corridors of power.You could buy in Phuket and things seem ok for 3 years then there is the dreaded knock on the door from the gov official with clip board in hand. "Leave farang...this is not your land, this is Thai-Land".

Never buy land or villas in those stupid over- rated sand pits. You have no control if and when something goes wrong. You're far better buying something in your home country where you actually own it and enjoy capital gain.

Edited March 15, 2012 by jalansanitwong

[lovetotravel]

Never buy land or villas in those stupid over- rated sand pits. You have no control if and when something goes wrong. You're far better buying something in your home country where you actually own it and enjoy capital gain.

Capital gains are not a sure thing any more even back home. Plus, many of us really don't want to rent. I haven't rented a place in many, many, many years and don't want to start now.

[Pib]

In reading this article I feel like I'm stuck in that Bill Murray movie called Groundhog Day.

[yellow1red1]

Must be a slow news day. Land grabbing or encroachment has been going on in Thailand for many years. In Bangkok there are thousands of homes built on Buddha land usually near temples which can be issued with titles but are not actually legally for sale. Many Thais are on 200 b/monthpeppercorn rents from the late 70's and try to scam other Thais into buying the property..Thai disappears never to be seen or heard from again..Foreigners are obviously most vulnerable to property scams in Phuket,Krabi Samui etc where corruption goes to the highest corridors of power.You could buy in Phuket and things seem ok for 3 years then there is the dreaded knock on the door from the gov official with clip board in hand. "Leave farang...this is not your land, this is Thai-Land".

Never buy land or villas in those stupid over- rated sand pits. You have no control if and when something goes wrong. You're far better buying something in your home country where you actually own it and enjoy capital gain.

for 1 example from Wikipedia

The Democrat Party won elections in 13 September 1992, shortly after Black May, and formed a government. Suthep became Agriculture Minister. As part of the Sor Por Kor 4-01 (สปก.4-01) land reform scheme, Suthep gave title deeds to 592 plots of land in Khao Sam Liam, Kamala and Nakkerd hills of Phuket province to 489 farmers. It was later found that members of 11 wealthy families in Phuket were among the recipients. Suthep addressed a huge crowd in his Surat Thani constituency a month before a no-confidence debate and called on his supporters to march on Bangkok in the hundreds of thousands to defend his reputation.^[2] The scandal led Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai of the Democrat Party to dissolve the House of Representatives in July 1995 in order to avoid the no-confidence debate.^[3] In subsequent elections, the Chart Thai party won a majority, leading to the downfall of Chuan Leekpai's Democrat Party-led government.

like you say,,, nothing new

[Tatsujin]

I think the Thai's need to address their own incessant corruption and belief that they can do anything they want by paying off the right people. Sort this out, put some serious penalties in place for those who do wrong, and perhaps things might change.

[blazes]

Never buy land or villas in those stupid over- rated sand pits. You have no control if and when something goes wrong. You're far better buying something in your home country where you actually own it and enjoy capital gain.

Capital gains are not a sure thing any more even back home. Plus, many of us really don't want to rent. I haven't rented a place in many, many, many years and don't want to start now.

I never never never would buy property in LoS, but prefer to rent. That way, you can hop on the first available plane to a land where laws are enforced. I can't begin to imagine the heartache you would suffer if you had to (suddenly) sell your condo and leave.

[blazes]

I think the Thai's need to address their own incessant corruption and belief that they can do anything they want by paying off the right people. Sort this out, put some serious penalties in place for those who do wrong, and perhaps things might change.

Dream on. Pigs miight fly. And other such wild impossibilities come to mind...

[bigbamboo]

I think the Thai's need to address their own incessant corruption and belief that they can do anything they want by paying off the right people. Sort this out, put some serious penalties in place for those who do wrong, and perhaps things might change.

And then every day will be the first day of spring..... and every bird will have a new song to sing.

[lovetotravel]

Never buy land or villas in those stupid over- rated sand pits. You have no control if and when something goes wrong. You're far better buying something in your home country where you actually own it and enjoy capital gain.

Capital gains are not a sure thing any more even back home. Plus, many of us really don't want to rent. I haven't rented a place in many, many, many years and don't want to start now.

I never never never would buy property in LoS, but prefer to rent. That way, you can hop on the first available plane to a land where laws are enforced. I can't begin to imagine the heartache you would suffer if you had to (suddenly) sell your condo and leave.

Never would happen you having to sell your condo and leave. Never. Even if they cracked down on houses, they'd have ways to get around it.

[Unkomoncents]

Never buy land or villas in those stupid over- rated sand pits. You have no control if and when something goes wrong. You're far better buying something in your home country where you actually own it and enjoy capital gain.

Capital gains are not a sure thing any more even back home. Plus, many of us really don't want to rent. I haven't rented a place in many, many, many years and don't want to start now.

I never never never would buy property in LoS, but prefer to rent. That way, you can hop on the first available plane to a land where laws are enforced. I can't begin to imagine the heartache you would suffer if you had to (suddenly) sell your condo and leave.

Never would happen you having to sell your condo and leave. Never. Even if they cracked down on houses, they'd have ways to get around it.

Yeah. You can pay more. But at what point does owning a condo become a liability? After you've spent twice what the condo is worth in legal fees to ensure that you can own it? Thailand is an investment nightmare and is only worth it if you literally have cash you don't know what to do with.

[lovetotravel]

Yeah. You can pay more. But at what point does owning a condo become a liability? After you've spent twice what the condo is worth in legal fees to ensure that you can own it? Thailand is an investment nightmare and is only worth it if you literally have cash you don't know what to do with.

If you spent twice the cost of a condo in legal fees, you're better off renting.

[blackthorn2005]

I wish them luck. The last journalist investigating this in Phuket was murdered!

[lavender19]

Do you think anyone will ever name these dishonest wealthy people they refering to?

[JohnBliss]

It's simply amazing that they didn't try to blame this on foreigners as well!

[Tatsujin]

It's simply amazing that they didn't try to blame this on foreigners as well!

They will soon, to deflect the blame away from those that are actually involved.

[Tatsujin]

And then every day will be the first day of spring..... and every bird will have a new song to sing.

Well, we can dream . . . it might happen one day perhaps

[taninthai]

Oh dear we have been renting a 10 rai plot that is shown on the map for last 5 years