Luxury properties illegally built on slopes in Chiang Mai told to show land title deeds or face seizure



CHIANG MAI: -- As government authorities are actively arresting villagers encroaching on forest reserves to grow crops, the forestry officials are also inspecting several hills in Chiang Mai following complaints that many influential people and businessmen are building luxury resorts, hotels, condominiums on steep slopes on the forest reserves.

Hang Dong district in the northern province of Chiang Mai was said to have these luxury property built over 100 rai of hill slopes.

Chiang Mai Forest Resource Management Office director Mr Chukiat Pongsiriwan said forestry officials have inspected Hang Dong mountainous areas and have found six hillside locations where hotel, luxury resorts and villas covering more than 100 rai of land have been built.

Most of the locations are in the areas of Mae Tha Chang and Mae Khanin forest reserves.

Keepers of these luxury properties claimed they have title deeds but when officials insisted on ownership documents, none have shown up with the evidences to support their claims.

Mr Chukiat said all owners were invited to clarify and present their evidences to proof their ownership of the title deeds tomorrow.

The deeds would be used for aerial inspection to compare with the boundary of forest reserve area.

He said if any deed was found to encroach on the forest area or illegally acquired, the owner would be prosecuted and the deed would be revoked.

Recent aerial inspection found that hotel, luxury resorts and villas were built on slopes covering between 10-20 rai of land each.

The National Council for Peace and Order has made it clear on cracking forest encroachment by influential people under its policy to regain the forest area back for the interest of the country.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/luxury-properties-illegally-built-slopes-chiang-mai-told-show-land-title-deeds-face-seizure/


-- Thai PBS 2016-06-15

I'll believe in the crackdown when I see it.

Hope they will show the title deeds to the press and public so we know this was not solved under the table.

But i guess that is too much transparancy to ask for.

I'll believe in the crackdown when I see it.

Amazingly it is actually happening.

Go and check out Phuket if you need to see it yourself.

I have to say at least the army in charge is actually doing something that has not been done in the past decades

I hope the influential encroachers pay fo demolition and restoration of the land and a prison sentence ,not suspended . I am a comedian,I know it's Thailand

I won't hold my breath!

If they have no title deeds which is probably a foregone conclusion why don't they just demolish them?

On a side note why do these reporters keep using the word "evidences"? Evidence is both singular and plural, one would think a journalist would know this. Sorry not normally part of the grammar police but these are theoretically educated people.

I have to say at least the army in charge is actually doing something that has not been done in the past decades

Agreed.

Wow! Only 24 hours to make some phone calls and stuff some brown envelopes? Seems a bit unfair?

I won't hold my breath!

If they have no title deeds which is probably a foregone conclusion why don't they just demolish them?

On a side note why do these reporters keep using the word "evidences"? Evidence is both singular and plural, one would think a journalist would know this. Sorry not normally part of the grammar police but these are theoretically educated people.

Isn't it great when someone who "is not normally part of the grammar police" dons the uniform and proceeds to criticise the OP for a grammar offence without checking his own post for all the omitted commas?

Write yourself a grammar ticket, nakhonandy.

Hope they will show the title deeds to the press and public so we know this was not solved under the table.

But i guess that is too much transparancy to ask for.

Just back from Phuket. MY GAWD that place has grown in a few years. needs another clean up. NOW for the record, ONLY naughty RED people in CM are bad. Because everyone knows the NCPO do not love CM. THEY ARE ALL BAD people in the north taking way forest!

But it is OK to burn and kill all the animals to get stupid mushrooms to send SOUTH! I cannot believe I am seeing a divide!

people who have built ILLEGALLY and paid their dues to the local STRONG YELLOW Governor of Phuket need not worry.

Your encroached land is ok.

that is why sadly that restaurant at Surin had to go. Did not pay enough!

Silly lady!

Wow! Only 24 hours to make some phone calls and stuff some brown envelopes? Seems a bit unfair?

It will take more than 24 hours to negotiate with the district officials for title deeds that are retroactively dated to an earlier date. Given the publicity this may or may not be something that can be accomplished. Yet rest assured that although they might lose their land, none of these people will face jail time like the local Karen farmers who might encroach on forest land to eke out a subsistence living.

Wow! Only 24 hours to make some phone calls and stuff some brown envelopes? Seems a bit unfair?

and not many ATM's in the mountains either so they will need to send a lackey out on a scooter to pay those 'fees'

Like many here I want to believe this will happen. That the 'influential' people will be punished for the casual arrogance.

But 25 years experience of living in Thailand says otherwise.

It's still a darned good dream.