'Ten officials' behind illegal land deeds

[Lite Beer]

FOREST RESERVE ENCROACHMENT

'Ten officials' behind illegal land deeds

THE SUNDAY NATION

BANGKOK: -- DSI official thinks only 10 per cent of Bonanza land might be legal; deeds for some 1,000 rai possibly issued unlawfully

THE Department of Special Investigation (DSI) suspects that 10 land officials are involved in issuing illegal title deeds in forest reserves to politicians and businessmen in Nakhon Ratchasima.

After checking the land title deeds for a racing track belonging to Bonanza International Speedway owned by the Techanarong family, the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) and the DSI found the deeds encroached on more than 100 rai of forest reserve. And they suspect that title deeds for some 1,000 rai, covering golf courses and housing estates, may have been issued unlawfully as Nor Sor 3 Kor deeds were for a forest reserve. In 2006, the most secure types of title deeds were issued for areas encroaching on forest reserves in the province.

The official believed that title deeds for only 10 per cent of the land held by Bonanza was issued legally.

Officials checking the records of 10 land officials directly involved in issuing Nor Sor 3 Kor and Chanod landholding documents to Bonanza found that this group of officials were also involved in issuing land title deeds to other groups of businessmen and politicians in Nakhon Ratchasima. Some plots spanned 100 rai. The forest reserve has been turned into golf courses and housing estates, leaving no trace of forest.

PACC secretary-general Prayong Preeyajit said a joint team of the Second Army Region and the DSI had found solid evidence that Bonanza had encroached upon forest reserves.

Records from 1976 to be checked

He said he would assign PACC officials to check the Nor Sor 3 Kor land title documents issued by the Land Department dating back to 1976. "If any plot of land had been issued illegally by land officials from any level, they will face prosecution for malfeasance or dereliction of duty,'' he said.

He said he ordered his staff to gather evidence without a timeframe because he wanted to ensure fairness to all.

He said the Land Department had the authority to revoke title deeds and exercise power to order the demolition of any construction on forest reserves.

Democrat member Pumsan Seniwong na Ayuthaya, a specialist on natural resources and environment to Parliament, urged the Prayut Chan-o-cha government to prevent public misunderstanding stemming from a political movement trying to distort information related to the government's moves to crack down on forest encroachment.

"The government's public relations teams must ensure they systematically clarify allegations by critics, based on the truth and the laws, to get backing from the public," Pumsan said.

He also urged the government to provide top security to the legal adviser of the Second Army Region Colonel Sommai Butsaba. He said the country had suffered a great loss when General Romklao Thuwatham was killed during the crackdown on red shirts in April 2010.

He said with the project to provide land for people's livelihood, the government must ensure that more trees are planted urgently under a nationwide reforestation programme.

He expressed confidence that Justice Minister General Paiboon Koomchaya, who has been assigned the task by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, would be able to crack down on corrupt officials involved in forest encroachment.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Ten-officials-behind-illegal-land-deeds-30257441.html

-- The Nation 2015-04-05

[BSJ]

These unscrupulous people have to go to gaol and have their assets confiscated. Then if they can prove their assets were obtain legally they can have them back.

[NongKhaiKid]

Hard to believe, oh please say it isn't so !

[clockman]

When we see them in jail. I will believe. Otherwise it is just talk. Which Thais are very good at.

[ezzra]

As we have said a thousand time before, it's only the tip of the iceberg, huge, mammoth iceberg....

and if ThaiVisa will be around in 50 years, there still will be similar articles appearing on these

pages....

[tomross46]

Nothing will happen. There have been scandals going on for years. Look at Alpine golf club, the land was acquired illegally, the courts ruled that the land must be returned. The land is still in the hands of influential people, and some of the politicians involved can not be punished because of statute had expired.

[JOC]

These unscrupulous people have to go to gaol and have their assets confiscated. Then if they can prove their assets were obtain legally they can have them back.

Normally a court case comes before going to jail..............

[MaxLee]

Put into inactive posts, book it....

[Oziex1]

This is nothing, compared to the alleged illegal encroachment and dodgy land titles of thousands upon thousands of rai by the connected, crooks and other assorted liars.

Still haven't sorted Phuket and probably never will.

[Linky]

These unscrupulous people have to go to gaol and have their assets confiscated. Then if they can prove their assets were obtain legally they can have them back.

Normally a court case comes before going to jail..............

Article 44 fixes that concept

[JOC]

Nothing will happen. There have been scandals going on for years. Look at Alpine golf club, the land was acquired illegally, the courts ruled that the land must be returned. The land is still in the hands of influential people, and some of the politicians involved can not be punished because of statute had expired.

Both the case in the OP and the Alpine case have Thaksin people involved!!

Which sadly proves, that without check an balances, that an elected government is no guarantee for transparency...............

[DLock]

What happens when, say a foreigner, in good faith, and after checking the land titles are correct and not mortgaged, leases or buys (in a company) land titles that were illegally granted by the Land Department in a dubious deal with a previous Thai Owner(s)?

The LD has already taken the bribes and the previous Owner(s) has sold the land on and made millions, maybe multiple times...

Has there been cases where the foreigner has had the land taken back by the Forestry Department?

That would really suck. One should have faith in the very Land Department to issue correct land titles, but if they don't, how can the foreigner be held responsible and lose his land, and the Thai thieves make of with the $$$. And how to they decide who is at fault if the land has sold 3 or 4 times since the dodgy titles and money has changed hands?

I read about these cases, but I have never heard of a foreigner losing what he thought was legal land.

Any cases? Interested to know.

[h90]

These unscrupulous people have to go to gaol and have their assets confiscated. Then if they can prove their assets were obtain legally they can have them back.

Back minus the costs of putting the land back into natural state, which won't be cheap considering the size and the experts you will need to plant exactly the right trees.

[EyesWideOpen]

Have seen this going back 15 years to the Samui land office. Thais have somehow perfected

the art of stealing land with little pieces of paper. Sort of impressive actually...

[bob4you]

Typical double talk.

"Democrat member Pumsan Seniwong na Ayuthaya, a specialist on natural resources and environment to Parliament, urged the Prayut Chan-o-cha government to prevent public misunderstanding stemming from a political movement trying to distort information related to the government's moves to crack down on forest encroachment"

[trogers]

Increase the budget and manpower of AMLO and Thailand would have seized all money required to build all the planned infra-structure.

[halloween]

Typical double talk.

"Democrat member Pumsan Seniwong na Ayuthaya, a specialist on natural resources and environment to Parliament, urged the Prayut Chan-o-cha government to prevent public misunderstanding stemming from a political movement trying to distort information related to the government's moves to crack down on forest encroachment"

What he meant was don't let the Thaksin propagandists (aka UDD or PTP spokesman) lie about this to their gullible supporters.

[Tatsujin]

Again, a whole lot of zero's missing from their numbers.

Confiscate their assets, including the family members they've put everything in their names, throw them in jail, dismiss them from service, deny them pensions, and make sure those fines and jails terms are a little more than a joke for once.

25 years seems to be a good precedent set recently, lets go with that for all these thieves and liars.

[geriatrickid]

These unscrupulous people have to go to gaol and have their assets confiscated. Then if they can prove their assets were obtain legally they can have them back.

Well in the Phuket land grabs, they didn't have to prove anything, the land department officials wouldn't even co-operate with investigators and the cases stalled, and died. Where was the justice there?

When will the government go after the thieves in Phuket? When will the corrupt officials be arrested? Maybe, if the people in Phuket were not so tied up into the power structure something would get done. Tangent? Yes. However, what we are seeing is a biased application of the existing laws that furthers the view that if in power one is immune, and if out of power, one is subject to retaliation. This needs to stop being associated with political targets and instead be one of law enforcement and respect for the existing laws. EVERYONE has to be pursued, and hopefully convicted and subject to the full penalty.

Edited April 5, 2015 by geriatrickid

[ourmanflint]

Can anyone tell me why the hell there is a need for a speedway track in the middle of a national forest anyway? Whose harebrained scheme was this?

[robblok]

These unscrupulous people have to go to gaol and have their assets confiscated. Then if they can prove their assets were obtain legally they can have them back.

Well in the Phuket land grabs, they didn't have to prove anything, the land department officials wouldn't even co-operate with investigators and the cases stalled, and died. Where was the justice there?

When will the government go after the thieves in Phuket? When will the corrupt officials be arrested? Maybe, if the people in Phuket were not so tied up into the power structure something would get done. Tangent? Yes. However, what we are seeing is a biased application of the existing laws that furthers the view that if in power one is immune, and if out of power, one is subject to retaliation. This needs to stop being associated with political targets and instead be one of law enforcement and respect for the existing laws. EVERYONE has to be pursued, and hopefully convicted and subject to the full penalty.

I agree however that does not mean we have to leave these cases be because Phuket was not investigated. The crime is committed so peruse it. But it does show the previous government was at fault for allowing this. Now I can only hope the junta goes after Phuket too.

[JOC]

Can anyone tell me why the hell there is a need for a speedway track in the middle of a national forest anyway? Whose harebrained scheme was this?

Preparing for Fast & Furious 8

Staring

Ying Diesel

Chalerm (Johnny) Walker

[ratcatcher]

Nothing will happen. There have been scandals going on for years. Look at Alpine golf club, the land was acquired illegally, the courts ruled that the land must be returned. The land is still in the hands of influential people, and some of the politicians involved can not be punished because of statute had expired.

Both the case in the OP and the Alpine case have Thaksin people involved!!

Which sadly proves, that without check an balances, that an elected government is no guarantee for transparency...............

I suspect the holders of the land titles also knew the transfers were 'dodgy'?

The same thing will happen in this case I fear. The Taechanarong are a powerful family. These are hi-so at their finest.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Techanarong&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ltggVa7vI4q4uATfs4KIDg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1009&bih=606#imgdii=_&imgrc=wXEpWKDvkSXY4M%253A%3BBoJfDwr0ixTZbM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.nationmultimedia.com%252Fnew%252F2012%252F03%252F18%252Fpolitics%252Fimages%252F30178201-01_big.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.nationmultimedia.com%252Fpolitics%252FGiant-killer-Ruangkrai-wants-to-be-Pheu-Thai-MP-30178201.html%3B630%3B415

I expect cars will possibly still be racing on that track in 10 years time. Or mayb e it's for his son's Ferrari.

[greenchair]

That little piece of land.

Haaahaaaa haahaaahaaa haahaaahaaa

????

Once again, another case of going after the small fish to make it look like corruption is being dealt with. While the really big land grabbers go free. At least when ying and her lot were thrown out every detail of their assets could be scrutinised. Let the Thai try and investigate current assets of certain bigwigs when they leave office. Not gonna happen.

It's all smoke and mirrors. Anybody who thinks otherwise is nieve indeed.

[Prbkk]

Nothing will happen. There have been scandals going on for years. Look at Alpine golf club, the land was acquired illegally, the courts ruled that the land must be returned. The land is still in the hands of influential people, and some of the politicians involved can not be punished because of statute had expired.

Both the case in the OP and the Alpine case have Thaksin people involved!!

Which sadly proves, that without check an balances, that an elected government is no guarantee for transparency...............

I suspect the holders of the land titles also knew the transfers were 'dodgy'?

The same thing will happen in this case I fear. The Taechanarong are a powerful family. These are hi-so at their finest.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Techanarong&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ltggVa7vI4q4uATfs4KIDg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1009&bih=606#imgdii=_&imgrc=wXEpWKDvkSXY4M%253A%3BBoJfDwr0ixTZbM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.nationmultimedia.com%252Fnew%252F2012%252F03%252F18%252Fpolitics%252Fimages%252F30178201-01_big.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.nationmultimedia.com%252Fpolitics%252FGiant-killer-Ruangkrai-wants-to-be-Pheu-Thai-MP-30178201.html%3B630%3B415

I expect cars will possibly still be racing on that track in 10 years time. Or mayb e it's for his son's Ferrari.

"I don't agree that our concert is disturbing animals in the national park" (2010 interview). ( Well, no....you ripped the national park apart and the animals are gone).

[city]

Its not your misdeeds that will get you nicked its your political allegiance. Another witch hunt by the Khaki Men

[Suffinator]

DSI official thinks only 10 per cent of Bonanza land might be legal; deeds for some 1,000 rai possibly issued unlawfully

Shocked, stunned, amazed ... well no not really ... Thainess at its most supreme and unlikely to ever change.

[robblok]

Its not your misdeeds that will get you nicked its your political allegiance. Another witch hunt by the Khaki Men

Is there a crime committed here or not ? If so.. why call it a witch hunt.. if they were not criminals the men in Khaki would not be able to get them. This happened under PTP watch.. so they were allowed to steal from the government and now the men in Khaki punish them for doing so. Just because the previous government allowed these crime to be committed does not mean they are not crimes.

[Suffinator]

He said he would assign PACC officials to check the Nor Sor 3 Kor land title documents issued by the Land Department dating back to 1976. "If any plot of land had been issued illegally by land officials from any level, they will face prosecution for malfeasance or dereliction of duty,'' he said.

So moved to another inactive post ... yeah that'll teach them to steal land.

He said he ordered his staff to gather evidence without a timeframe because he wanted to ensure fairness to all.

So how long do you think it will take before people just forget about this? Couple of years maybe and then conveniently swept under the carpet after more cash has changed hands?

He expressed confidence that Justice Minister General Paiboon Koomchaya, who has been assigned the task by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, would be able to crack down on corrupt officials involved in forest encroachment.

That's a very tall order and remains to be seen. Certainly we've had a lot of talk from Prayut but no end results as yet.

[Oziex1]

I should be used to it and not bother commenting, but why always the running commentary on what they are going to do and then proceed to do nothing.

Why don't they take care of the details, gathering evidence for example and then give it some publicity when the case is ready to go and likely to succeed.

I'll say it for you all TIT.