Government to invoke Section 44 to deal with encroachers of Sor Por Kor land



BANGKOK: -- The government is to get tough with individuals who illegally occupy Sor Por Kor land by resorting to Section 44 of the interim constitution to reclaim the land.

Agriculture Minister Gen Chatchai Sarikalya said Wednesday that he had consulted with Deputy Prime Minister Wisanu Krea-ngam, the government’s top legal expert, and the Council of State about the possibility to invoke Section 44 of the interim charter to deal with defiant occupants of Sor Por Kor land as recommended by the Office of Land Reform for Agriculture.

He expected the issue to be forwarded to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha and an executive order could be issued next week by virtue of Section 44.

General Chatchai said that the executive order would be applied in 25 provinces there are individuals each of whom has occupied more than 500 rai of Sor Por Kor land.

These illegal landlords, said the minister, have occupied about 430,000 rai of Sor Por Kor land.

Once the order is out from the prime minister, the minister said that Sor Por Kor officials would paste up copies of map showing the illegally-occupied land plots in local communities to notify the illegal occupants to show up at the local land reform offices with their land right documents to prove their ownership within 30 days otherwise the questionable land will be seized by the state.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/government-invoke-section-44-deal-encroachers-sor-por-kor-land/

-- Thai PBS 2016-06-30

In a village of my acquaintance, probably 70% of the Sor Por Kor land has been soled and resold multiple times. Nobody really cares that it's illegal.

Just another way that the government can harrass the people it doesn't like, while ignoring 99% of the other transgressions.

Must be 3rd-world thing...

W

Why does it need S44 to deal with this. If it cannot be dealt with under existing law, then what is the problem?

Invoking Sec. 44 of the Military Constitution eliminates the possibility of appeals against a wrong decision, thus opening a large door to abuse of discretion and arbitrary decisions. Nobody can and will be held responsible for wrong decisions.

That is the militarization of Thai justice.

These people are not you normal farmers with 500+rai of land ,they should lose it all ,the government are not after the ones with 50 rai ,I say good to the government for this