Four of 20 allegedly illegal land plots were investigated by the Deputy Permanent Secretary of Justice on Friday. Officials believe the plots were illegally developed or obtained from illegal land-title deeds.

The plots in question are located in Kamala, Koh Rad and along Surin Beach. The investigation was sparked by complaints made directly to the Ministry of Justice by NGOs and locals, stated Deputy Permanent Secretary of Justice Col Dussadee. According to these complaints, Phuket officials allegedly issued business owners illegal Chanote titles and signed off on illegal building permits.

The first of the plots to be investigated was on Koh Rad. Col Dussadee stated that the owner of the land was issued a Chanote title under the pretense that the land would be used as a plantation. But officials found no trace of plantations on the 161-rai island. Trees were found in the area that were more than 50 years old, which would automatically make the property ineligible for a Chanote title.

The team also investigated the La Colline estate. Allegedly, the estate was constructed without passing the Environmental Impact Assessment and was being built 120m above sea level. Laws in Phuket prohibit the construction of buildings that are more than 80m above sea level.

The third area the team investigated was a building near Surin Beach. The building, which is still under construction, was being built in Zone 1 and just 20 meters from the sea. Col Dussadee reiterated that no buildings are to be built in Zone 1, yet officers granted a building permit.

Finally, the team investigated the Kamala Beach Hotel and Resort. Allegedly, the building sits on public land.

No charges were filed, nor were property owners asked to present evidence during the investigation. But Col Dussadee notes that officials involved in illegal issuing of Chanote titles or the reporting false information will be charged for abuse of power. Property owners may also face charges for accepting illegal Chanote titles and building permits.

-- 2015-03-14

And still nothing about Koh Samui and Suthep's son......interesting lack of action here.

And still nothing about Koh Samui and Suthep's son......interesting lack of action here.

Suthep and family are not 'big fishes' in the Samui real estate scene, though you're right nothing has happened about the son's project in BangPor, including illegal water caption reservoir, concrete roads et all... But what about the large project between Bophut and Bangrak, that sent quite a few Brittons behind bars for a time, while the 'big man' behind it is 'some' MD owning hospitals, and with the family, 'a certain' airline, and big shareholders of a major bank with a colour between-red-and-blue...? And, and, and, so many others...

I remember a top State official visiting Samui, under Abhisit's tenure, declaring that when all the registered land (Chanote+Nor Sor Sam 4+ constructible Nor Sor Sam) is added to the surface of State owned land, the total of those categories only already exceeds the actual size of the island by more than 20%...

(And please, don't shoot on Abhisit and the Dems, for this time, for the fun of it, first check the legality of 'properties' 'owned' by the Shins and their array of 'allies' on Samui island, and you will learn it would be the story of the straw in the eye, when and if, of course, first excluding the twenty 'indigenous Chinese' (erm...?) 'big families', though, as they are above the, any, Law on 'their' island anyway...)

Jumeria private island was supposed to be built on Koh Rad. Empty shells of huge villas now sit and the mangroves and old trees were ripped out to make way for a pier all without titles. I know someone who shelled out a few million dollars to be there and still fighting through the courts.