Four sentenced to jail for B15bn ‘theft’ of Phuket park land

[webfact]

Four sentenced to jail for B15bn ‘theft’ of Phuket park land
Suthicha Sirirat


The high-powered panel of crime fighters announced the sentences handed down today (June 1). Photo: Suthicha Sirirat

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Provincial Court has sentenced four Thai nationals to eight to 14 years in jail for their part in obtaining illegal titles to possess protected state land in Phuket with an estimated value of B15 billion, leading officials announced June 1.

Each of the four handed down jail terms have also been fined B9 million, while the Department of Special Investigations (DSI) pursues 10 more cases, members of the Phuket press were told this morning.

Presiding over the press conference, held at Sirinath National Park on Phuket’s northwest coast, was National Parks Wildlife and Plant Conservation Director Thanya Netithamkul.

Joining him were DSI Deputy Director-General Pol Lt Col Pong-In Intarakhao, DSI Bureau of Consumer Protection and Environment Crime Director Pol Lt Col Prawut Wongseenin and Sirinath National Park Park Chief Kitiphat Taraphiban.

Together the panel of high-powered officials announced recent courts verdict for five encroachment cases covering prime beachfront land in Sirinath National Park and national forest of Khao Ruak Khao Muang Park.

The land in question spans parts of Moo 2 and Moo 3 in Thalang’s Sakoo subdistrict, south of Phuket International Airport.

Mr Thanya announced, “The NCPO has ordered officials to tackle all encroachment including deforestation in national forest and it is the government’s policy to reclaim state land.

“Previously, officials investigated land developers who claimed national park land in the Sakoo area. During their investigation, they found four plots that had been issued Chanote land titles and requests had been filed to upgrade five plots to Chanote status.

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/four-sentenced-to-jail-for-b15bn-theft-of-phuket-park-land-57670.php

-- Phuket News 2016-06-02

[webfact]

Court hands down heavy jailterms for Phuket illegal land grabbers



PHUKET: -- Two men who used fake land documents to apply for title deeds for land in a national park and forest reserves in Phuket were given jailterms ranging from 8-13 years.

The Phuket provincial court found Mr Nakorn Wongseethong and Mr Chan Pongpa guilty of using fake Sor Kor 1 land occupation rights for 80 rai of land in the Sirinart national park and Khao Ruak-Khao Muang forest reserves which are adjacent to the sea at Ao Sakhu to apply for title deeds.

The two men were taken to the court by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation.

The court handed down 13 years jailterm on Mr Nakorn and fined him nine million baht while Mr Chan was given eight years and eight months and fined nine million baht. The jailterms were not suspended.

Sirinart park chief Mr Kittipat Tharapibaan said that the two defendants were merely representatives of the real mastermind who engineered and financed the land grabbing for profiteering.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/165651


-- Thai PBS 2016-06-02

[ezzra]

You can't get away with presenting fake documents to the land department and have a parcel of

land transferred to your name without help on the inside, as they have all copies of land deeds

to match yours, so far, reading the article, I didn't see any mention of the inside culprits....

[colinneil]

Four sentenced to imprisonment OK.

It does not say four sent to prison, so is it going to be another farce?

Sentenced and sent are not the same.

Also what about the corrupt land office officials???

Fake documents presented along with brown envelopes gets you fake land documents.

Stop the corrupt officials and you stop the problem.

[sebastion]

This is just the men who sacrificed their name for a few baht.

The real culprits already made sure of this.

[edwinchester]

"Sirinart park chief Mr Kittipat Tharapibaan said that the two defendants were merely representatives of the real mastermind who engineered and financed the land grabbing for profiteering."

It seems Mr Big is rarely held accountable and I await the follow up article detailing the jail terms for the colluding state officials in the land dept.

[arthurboy]

So the court, police etc. have absolutely no way to identify, arrest and charge the Mr. Bigs?

What a surprise. Next...

[steelepulse]

This is just the men who sacrificed their name for a few baht.

The real culprits already made sure of this.

No doubt, it's a tiny baby step in the right direction though, as at least the fall guys are getting pinched instead of the whole issue being swept under the carpet. Whether the whole thing is just for the dog and pony show, we'll have to wait and see.

[shirtless]

How does this happen in the first place corruption in every level of government. Thailand the world is laughing at you and your useless government.

[Emster23]

"....for further examination and it turned out that all were [deemed] forged documents."

Yes, must inside help to get away with this as long as they did. There must be records at land office signed off etc showing collusion. It's not same as passing phony bank notes

[gamini]

It seems that every positive step or achievement by the government is blasted by a group of sad and sick posters on this forum who have nothing better to do. Most of the posts are childish with their brown envelope fantasies and their hatred of everything Thai. I wish this was Singapore where they would have been deported long ago,

[12DrinkMore]

So the court, police etc. have absolutely no way to identify, arrest and charge the Mr. Bigs?

What a surprise. Next...

Read the article.

“We believe these people are only representatives of bigger businessmen or influential people, which the DSI are investigating and gathering more information to bring them in.”

This is another positive step in civilising Thailand.

I do wish that TVers would be a little more positive about the progress. Always the same negativity. It is a huge undertaking to rewind the corruption that has held the country back for decades.

I wonder how they arrived at the 9,000,000 Baht fines? That is substantial amount of cash to stomp up.

[geriatrickid]

It seems that every positive step or achievement by the government is blasted by a group of sad and sick posters on this forum who have nothing better to do. Most of the posts are childish with their brown envelope fantasies and their hatred of everything Thai. I wish this was Singapore where they would have been deported long ago,

What would they have been deported for? Is speaking the truth that distressing for you? How do you think these people got away with their crimes for so long?

[manarak]

BTW, where are the foreigners that are often blamed for illegal land grabbing ?

[SOTIRIOS]

...did they only name 2 of 4....???

...who is 'the money' behind the transactions....???

...they say....'Follow the money'....

[Ulic]

A huge step in the right direction. Maybe these are just fall guys but the investigation will

continue amongst other investigations and the land will be returned to the public.

[arthurboy]

So the court, police etc. have absolutely no way to identify, arrest and charge the Mr. Bigs?

What a surprise. Next...

Read the article.

“We believe these people are only representatives of bigger businessmen or influential people, which the DSI are investigating and gathering more information to bring them in.”

This is another positive step in civilising Thailand.

I do wish that TVers would be a little more positive about the progress. Always the same negativity. It is a huge undertaking to rewind the corruption that has held the country back for decades.

I wonder how they arrived at the 9,000,000 Baht fines? That is substantial amount of cash to stomp up.

I did read the article.

As we know, it's very, very rare for Mr. Bigs to be jailed in Thailand, despite the usual talk and promises of investigation etc. by the authorities. The legal process to reclaim this land has been going on for at least four years, although the land itself was encroached long before that, possibly beginning as far back as 1998, and right under the noses of the allegedly and possibly corrupt park officials. It seems that land title deeds were issued in exchange for the usual brown envelops...

So, in short, over the years, the authorities have had plenty of time to deal with the resort owners and/or their backers. But they haven't.

[stevenl]

So the court, police etc. have absolutely no way to identify, arrest and charge the Mr. Bigs?

What a surprise. Next...

Read the article.

“We believe these people are only representatives of bigger businessmen or influential people, which the DSI are investigating and gathering more information to bring them in.”

This is another positive step in civilising Thailand.

I do wish that TVers would be a little more positive about the progress. Always the same negativity. It is a huge undertaking to rewind the corruption that has held the country back for decades.

I wonder how they arrived at the 9,000,000 Baht fines? That is substantial amount of cash to stomp up.

I did read the article.

As we know, it's very, very rare for Mr. Bigs to be jailed in Thailand, despite the usual talk and promises of investigation etc. by the authorities. The legal process to reclaim this land has been going on for at least four years, although the land itself was encroached long before that, possibly beginning as far back as 1998, and right under the noses of the allegedly and possibly corrupt park officials. It seems that land title deeds were issued in exchange for the usual brown envelops...

So, in short, over the years, the authorities have had plenty of time to deal with the resort owners and/or their backers. But they haven't.

So you read the article, and know that 'these people are only representatives of bigger businessmen or influential people, which the DSI are investigating and gathering more information to bring them in'.

But still you ask 'So the court, police etc. have absolutely no way to identify, arrest and charge the Mr. Bigs?',

[HerbalEd]

Re. "Sirinart park chief Mr Kittipat Tharapibaan said that the two defendants were merely representatives of the real mastermind who engineered and financed the land grabbing for profiteering."

How many of you think this "real mastermind" will ever be arrested or charged?

[simon43]

I know it is just a very minor point. But where are the photos of the convicted in chains and being led off to prison to serve their sentences?

[KarenBravo]

I know it is just a very minor point. But where are the photos of the convicted in chains and being led off to prison to serve their sentences?

Better yet, pictures of other Thais pointing at them.

It isn't real unless a pointing picture is published...

[peterb17]

It seems that every positive step or achievement by the government is blasted by a group of sad and sick posters on this forum who have nothing better to do. Most of the posts are childish with their brown envelope fantasies and their hatred of everything Thai. I wish this was Singapore where they would have been deported long ago,

I would agree with you - the endless comments about 'brown envelopes' are dull, boring, repetitive ; not even amusing.

The upside here that nation park land has been returned, some involved have been fined and jailed - maybe that sends out a message and will give some future protection to public owned land .

[retarius]

If they actually go to jail and are not out on never ending bail while a never ending appeals process works its way through the molasses of a justice system then this is good news. Somehow, since it doesn't mention appeals, and 'influentials' always appeal and are released on bail, I have my doubts. BTW why does it say 4 men were given sentences in the TV article, but only 2 men in the Phuket news article it references?

[Valentine]

It seems that every positive step or achievement by the government is blasted by a group of sad and sick posters on this forum who have nothing better to do. Most of the posts are childish with their brown envelope fantasies and their hatred of everything Thai. I wish this was Singapore where they would have been deported long ago,

I would agree with you - the endless comments about 'brown envelopes' are dull, boring, repetitive ; not even amusing.

The upside here that nation park land has been returned, some involved have been fined and jailed - maybe that sends out a message and will give some future protection to public owned land .

Same with the "Thailand the world is laughing at you" statements.I seriously doubt these stories ever make it to mainstream media in the rest of the world.

[Oziex1]

How does this happen in the first place corruption in every level of government. Thailand the world is laughing at you and your useless government.

Shirtless, not singling you out as such but comments about the world laughing at Thailand are a little inaccurate as the world probably doesn't give a hoot about Thailand.

Does Thailand care about the world outside?

[KarenBravo]

How does this happen in the first place corruption in every level of government. Thailand the world is laughing at you and your useless government.

Shirtless, not singling you out as such but comments about the world laughing at Thailand are a little inaccurate as the world probably doesn't give a hoot about Thailand.

Does Thailand care about the world outside?

Oh yes.......they care about their "image" immensely.