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Governor speaks for first time on alleged corrupt Phuket officials
Nattha Thepbamrung


Former Phuket Governor Wichai Praisa-Ngob has been accused of wrongly issuing deeds for and within Sirinart Marine National Park Lands.

PHUKET: -- Phuket Governor, Nisit Jansomwong, today (June 11) spoke for the first time about the 13 Phuket officials who have been accused by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) of being involved in corruption.

One of the 13 is former Phuket Governor, Wichai Praisa-Ngob, who along with the others faces being charged under sections 157 and 162 of the criminal code..

“The issue is being investigated by the NACC, but they must have evidence in their hands which allows them to prosecute.

“I will not comment about it too much, but what I will say is that it is a lesson to all government agencies to work in a clean and transparent way,” said Gov Nisit.

Mr Wichai and the other 12 officials have been accused of wrongly issuing deeds for and within Sirinart Marine National Park Lands.

As Mr Wichai was governor at the time when the deeds were issued he faces being charged under section 157 of the criminal code.

Section 157 states: Whoever, being an official, wrongfully exercises or does not exercise any of his functions to the injury of any person, or dishonestly exercises or omits to exercise any of his function shall be punished with imprisonment of one to ten years or fined of B2,000 to B20,000, or both.

He also faces being charged under section 162 which states:

1. To certify that he has done any act or that any act has been done in his presence, which is false;

2. To certify that there is information of a matter of which there is no information;

3. To omit to record a matter which he has the duty to record, or to make alteration of such matter in recording it; or

4. To certify the fact which the document intends to prove as the truth, which is false;

Shall be punished with imprisonment not exceeding seven years and fined not more than B14,000.

“There are plenty of Phuket people wanting land deeds in Phuket today, and the process to check the land before approving a land paper is idssued has to be more strict than in the past.

“For me, it is better to set up a committee who will consider about issuing land papers.

“Each piece of land will be inspected by all committee members at the same time. Nobody from the committee should be absent [when the land is checked].

“It cannot be like in the past when separate divisions visit the land at different times,” said Gov Nisir.

He also stated that the NACC have also recommend this to him and they said the committee should make an agreement about land paper approval together.

“I agree with this, and for me if there is just one member of the committee who disagrees it has to be postponed and checked again because it means there is a problem about the land.

“This is especially the case when land is close to public land, forest land or national park land, or when the land has an unclear border.

“These issues have to be considered very carefully to avoid any repeated mistakes,” he concluded.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/governor-speaks-for-first-time-on-alleged-corrupt-phuket-officials-52729.php


-- Phuket News 2015-06-12

[quandow]

“Each piece of land will be inspected by all committee members at the same time. Nobody from the committee should be absent [when the land is checked]."

Uh, yeah, like THAT'S gonna happen.

[mmh8]

I can visualise all of this, however when I do it is always in the voice of the mayor in the Simpsons cartoon, strange

[steelepulse]

It was pretty well known that this guy along with some vice governors were getting rewarded handsomely for signing off on land projects.

[Shurup]

Fine amounts are laughable, I bet that just a single bribe was much more than all the fines they'd have to pay combined.

[KarenBravo]

Thailand government official's answer to everything. Form a committee.

Reminds me of Reg from the Life of Brian.

[steelepulse]

Fine amounts are laughable, I bet that just a single bribe was much more than all the fines they'd have to pay combined.

You're right, 150 million will more than cover the fines. http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/NACC-names-names-corruption-investigations/59237#ad-image-0

>>“Mr Wichai is accused of having asked for more than 150mn baht to issue these land titles,” said Mr Wicha.