DSI To Summons Suthep's Son Tan Over 'Land Grab'

[webfact]

DSI to summons Tan Thaugsuban over 'land grab'

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) said yesterday it would issue a summons next week against Tan Thaugsuban - a son of Democrat heavyweight Suthep - and two partners accused of involvement in an alleged land grabbing scheme at Khao Phaeng mountain on Koh Samui.

Director of the DSI's Bureau of Consumer Protection and Environment Crime, Lt Colonel Prawuth Wongseenin, said a DSI investigation team and prosecutors had studied claims of illegal deed issuing and decided to take action after the three suspects twice postponed giving testimony.

A summons would be issued on Monday against Tan and business associates from the Ruengpanya Construction partnership, Pongchai Fahthaweeporn and Samart Ruengsri.

Prawuth said the probe found the three suspects had illegally used the forest, as per the Forest Act BE2484 and the Land Code Act. The DSI would call on Tan to answer the allegations on Monday, and Pongchai and Samart on Tuesday.

"The investigation focused only on deed No 28109 in Mae-Nam district, Koh Samui, but evidence is in the process of being compiled on other plots," Prawuth said.

"Further, investigation officials found a reservoir built on Khao Phaeng Mountain is obstructing a public creek. This could be another example of trespassing on a public place, so the investigation team is seeking more evidence about this," Prawuth said.

Officials said the Khao Phaeng mountain plot originally covered only 24 rai, according to the Sor Khor 1 land document. But when Ruengpanya Construction bought it from the ex-owner, it was transferred to Noe Sor 3 Kor and the plot of land grew to 48 rai. In 2000-2001, they said Ruengpanya Construction sold the land to Tan and the deed recorded the plot's size at up to 64 rai.

-- The Nation 2012-07-04

[OzMick]

At that rate of expansion, by 2020 they'll own half of Thailand.

[mca]

At that rate of expansion, by 2020 they'll own half of Thailand.

I don't want to overly alarm you Mick but they've already renamed my village Muban Taugsuban and I now live on Soi Tan 5.

Edited July 4, 2012 by mca

[noitom]

Land grab schemes in Thailand. The recent news of Barclays' ceo resigning due to "market rate manipulation" , last month JP Morgan's ceo announcing a loss in excess of $2B and last year UBS' ceo resigning due to trading losses in opaque markets and others, made me think about all the schemes in Thailand. Can you imagine the market manipulation and swindles that never get announced or even identified in Thailand? Can you imagine the stock market manipulation and "insider trading" that must go on?

[chotthee]

I am sure Tan would say: "Do you know who my father is?"

[noahvail]

I am sure Tan would say: "Do you know who my father is?"

u

uhmmmmmm........ the U.N.?

[MartinL]

This sort of thing is the REAL reason there'll be no land in the future for (poor) Thai kids, not the odd small plot that a foreigner might have an interest in, as discussed in another news report recently. Thai kids are being done out of their inheritance by their own people not by foreigners who are portrayed as being greedy for land when they might only be interested in owning the residential plot upon which they live.

[Dibbler]

Can't possibly be true. We all know it's foreigners who are grabbing all the prime Thailand real estate. Samui should be no exception. That's why law makers are talking about changing the law so that wealthy Thais and their friends can snitch on farang holding property in other people's names. Then the land can be legally acquired by Thais, no need to grab and get one's hands dirty.

[saltandpepper]

I am sure Tan would say: "Do you know who my father is?"

Can not, this reply is copyrighted

[clockman]

Well remember his father controls the palm oil market! He got sea going container of it, created an artificial shortage. Then brought it back to sell at an enormous profit! There is allways a scam to profited from!

[silsburyhill]

This the same Suthep as was found encroaching on Khao Yai National Park land? The same Suthep who, having been party to ousting the equally odious Taksin, made a point of coming down to Phuket immediately after the coup, to 'clamp down on foreign companies with 'nominee' shareholders'? That Suthep?

Edited July 4, 2012 by silsburyhill

[Rancid]

Land grab schemes in Thailand. The recent news of Barclays' ceo resigning due to "market rate manipulation" , last month JP Morgan's ceo announcing a loss in excess of $2B and last year UBS' ceo resigning due to trading losses in opaque markets and others, made me think about all the schemes in Thailand. Can you imagine the market manipulation and swindles that never get announced or even identified in Thailand? Can you imagine the stock market manipulation and "insider trading" that must go on?

I am sure the unreported corruption in Thailand is enormous. However the mob here are only dealing in a small economy, the Banksters deal in trillions as they have the whole world to rob and defraud. I am sure every corrupt official here dreams to one day achieve that level of untouchble looting.

[Thai at Heart]

This sort of thing is the REAL reason there'll be no land in the future for (poor) Thai kids, not the odd small plot that a foreigner might have an interest in, as discussed in another news

report recently. Thai kids are being done out of their inheritance by their own people not by foreigners who are portrayed as being greedy for land when they might only be interested in owning the residential plot upon which they live.

And they will yell that the foreigners are coming to teacher it

[h90]

I am sure Tan would say: "Do you know who my father is?"

"The first president of Thailand" Oh no that was someone else son and they took him drunk......

[h90]

This the same Suthep as was found encroaching on Khao Yai National Park land? The same Suthep who, having been party to ousting the equally odious Taksin, made a point of coming down to Phuket immediately after the coup, to 'clamp down on foreign companies with 'nominee' shareholders'? That Suthep?

Well, I really don't like Suthep, but to compare him with Thaksin isn't fair. Thaksin was a 1000 times more corrupt and killed without regret 3000 people in his war against drugs.

Suthep is a bit ugly and a bit corrupt, but no wannabe dictator.

[silsburyhill]

This the same Suthep as was found encroaching on Khao Yai National Park land? The same Suthep who, having been party to ousting the equally odious Taksin, made a point of coming down to Phuket immediately after the coup, to 'clamp down on foreign companies with 'nominee' shareholders'? That Suthep?

Well, I really don't like Suthep, but to compare him with Thaksin isn't fair. Thaksin was a 1000 times more corrupt and killed without regret 3000 people in his war against drugs.

Suthep is a bit ugly and a bit corrupt, but no wannabe dictator.

No, just a thieving hypocrite who made a lot of problems for a lot of people, unnecessarily banging that dumb Nationalist drum. Hardly the point is it? Edited July 5, 2012 by silsburyhill

[h90]

This the same Suthep as was found encroaching on Khao Yai National Park land? The same Suthep who, having been party to ousting the equally odious Taksin, made a point of coming down to Phuket immediately after the coup, to 'clamp down on foreign companies with 'nominee' shareholders'? That Suthep?

Well, I really don't like Suthep, but to compare him with Thaksin isn't fair. Thaksin was a 1000 times more corrupt and killed without regret 3000 people in his war against drugs.

Suthep is a bit ugly and a bit corrupt, but no wannabe dictator.

No, just a thieving hypocrite who made a lot of problems for a lot of people, unnecessarily banging that dumb Nationalist drum. Hardly the point is it?

What is Nationalist?? I am hugging every "thieving hypocrite" if I can have him instead of someone who killed 3000 people.

I think alone Suvanabhumi or the computers+printers Thaksin bought (I think it was his daughters company, or was it his gardeners company??) would be enough to feed little Sutheps thirst for corruption for 100 years.....

[geriatrickid]

Land grab schemes in Thailand. The recent news of Barclays' ceo resigning due to "market rate manipulation" , last month JP Morgan's ceo announcing a loss in excess of $2B and last year UBS' ceo resigning due to trading losses in opaque markets and others, made me think about all the schemes in Thailand. Can you imagine the market manipulation and swindles that never get announced or even identified in Thailand? Can you imagine the stock market manipulation and "insider trading" that must go on?

I am sure the unreported corruption in Thailand is enormous. However the mob here are only dealing in a small economy, the Banksters deal in trillions as they have the whole world to rob and defraud. I am sure every corrupt official here dreams to one day achieve that level of untouchble looting.

The bankers eventually are caught, fines and penalties are assessed and people do go to jail. It can take some time, but sooner or later the web of deceit unravels. You might want to have a look at the UK Corruption Act of 2010. It is a very severe law and one that is being employed. It is as tough as the applicable US law(s). In Thailand, there rarely seem to be any prosecutions, let alone convictions. And even when convicted, the guilty parties seem to carry on, unphased.

In Thailand, Phuket has to win the crown of corruption. The land dealings, and the direct implication of local political leaders in the transport gangs is public knowledge, and yet nothing is done. With all due respect to the residents of Koh Samui and elsewhere, y'all aint got nuthin on Phuket's cabaret of crooks. The most flagrant example, is that no one is biddiing on the construction project for the Phuket airport. Think about it. A multibillion baht project and the big guys are sitting back, waiting. No competition = An unparalleled opportunity to do as they please when the contract is eventually awarded. The Phuket airport will surely be in the running for the next corruption event.

[Johpa]

In Thailand, Phuket has to win the crown of corruption. The land dealings, and the direct implication of local political leaders in the transport gangs is public knowledge, and yet nothing is done. With all due respect to the residents of Koh Samui and elsewhere, y'all aint got nuthin on Phuket's cabaret of crooks.

Can't argue with you there. Phuket, historically being more of a mini-Bangkok in ethnic composition as a result of the tin trade, is clearly the most endemically corrupt area in Thailand. Another shining example or two from the past would be the Phuket Yacht Club and Koh Phi Phi. The "Yaht Club" was built on Nai Harn beach, what was once a backpackers beach area and formerly public land. And of course Koh Phi Phi was once a national park that did not allow commercial buidings, one visited for a day trip by boat. But even my adopted home of Chiang Mai has seen some egregious examples of land corrution. Why the land that the Four Seasons sits atop in Mae Rim was once public lands. And along the 1096 Mae Sa Valley Rd, there are countless resorts that were created after paying off local officials to "adjust" the maps. And let us not forget the encroachment in the Lanna region by politicans including up at Ob Luang Gorge and the most notorious example being the encraochment on to public forest lands out in Sankampeng by the Shinawat family that led to public protests that then led to the murder of the local head of a school who organized the local protests. But yes, as far as scale, Phuket remains unrivaled.