Court ruling on Alpine land case due Tuesday

[webfact]

Court ruling on Alpine land case due Tuesday

By Chalarntorn Yothasmutra

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases will on Tuesday (Aug 29) deliver its ruling on a case filed by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) against former interior minister Yongyuth Wichaidit in the Alpine land case.

 

The NACC found him at fault in approving the sale of the 732 rai land of Wat Thammikaramvoraviharn in Pathum Thani province to Alpine Real Estatate and Alpine Golf and Sports Club in 2002.

 

This happened while Mr Yongyuth was deputy permanent secretary for interior, serving as acting permanent secretary.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/court-ruling-alpine-land-case-due-tuesday/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-08-29

[ezzra]

And here is another case involving Thaksin as the land in question

was sold to him while being a PM at the time despite

the fact that this was a monastic land and thus unsaleable or untransferable,

so where ever you look now days you'll find the Shins hands been there....

[Siripon]

Just now, ezzra said:

And here is another case involving Thaksin as the land in question

was sold to him while being a PM at the time despite

the fact that this was a monastic land and thus unsaleable or untransferable,

so where ever you look now days you'll find the Shins hands been there....

True enough, look at the Boonsong case last week . Suranand,  Apisit's cousin yet opposite in politics having served Pheua Thai loyally for years, couldn't resist expressing sympathy for Boonsong his friend who allegedly was under orders from a powerful behind the scenes figure.

One day the truth will out!

[webfact]

Judgement day for former Pheu Thai party leader Yongyuth Vichaidit

By Chalarntorn Yothasmutra

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court’s Corruption and Misconduct Cases is scheduled to deliver its verdict on Tuesday (Aug 29) against former deputy prime minister and former leader of the Pheu Thai party, Mr Yongyuth Wichaidit, charged with malfeasance in office for endorsing the transfer of 732 rai of temple land to the ownership of Thaksin Shinawatra.

 

The case dated back to March 2002 when Mr Yongyuth, then deputy interior permanent secretary serving as caretaker permanent secretary, exercised his authority as chair of the committee considering complaints, scrapped an order of the Land Department invalidating the transfer of the 732 rai temple land by the Mahamongkut Ratchawittayalai Foundation to Alpine Real Estate and Alpine Golf and Sports Club.

 

Mahamongkut Ratchawittayalai Foundation which was appointed the estate executor of the land sold the land in 1990 to Alpine Real Estate and Alpine Golf and Sports Club at a total of 130 million baht or 150,000 baht per rai despite protests by several senior monks of Wat Dhammamikaramvoraviharn who was donated the land in 1969 by Mrs Noem Chamnanchartsakda.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/judgement-day-former-pheu-thai-party-leader-yongyuth-vichaidit/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-08-29

[worgeordie]

Only 15 years to resolve this case,put on hold i suppose,while those in power

were involved, I believe the little fella that sold the land to Thaksin is now dead,

and Thaksin is not available, so they seem to have gotten away with it,and they

have gone after the man that was only following orders.

regards worgeordie

[webfact]

Yongyuth jailed for two years over land development scandal

By The Nation

 

The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases on Tuesday jailed former Pheu Thai leader Yongyuth Wichaidith for two years, after it convicted him in abusing this authority to help the Alpine Golf Club obtain two plots of temple land in Pathum Thani province.

 

The court found Yongyuth guilty of violating Article 157 of the Criminal Code for abusing his authority as the then deputy permanent secretary of the Interior Ministry, when he revoked an order made by the Land Department in 2002.

 

It ruled that he revoked the order to help Alpine Real Estate Co Ltd and Golf and Sport Club Co Ltd unlawfully obtain the land.

 

Yongyuth’s eyes reddened when the court sentenced him to the two years in jail without suspending the sentence.

 

He has sought a release on bail pending his appeal of the sentence to the Appeals Court.

The case was filed against him by the National Anti-Corruption Commission in 2016.

 

The court ruled that it was clear that the original owner of the land, Nuam Chamnanchartsakda, made a will to donate the two plots to the Thammikaram Worawiharn Temple.

 

In her 1969 will, Nuam donated the plots - measuring 148 hectares in total – to the temple.

In 1990, Nuam’s heritage managers were forced out and replaced by the Mahamakut Buddhist University Foundation.

 

The court stated in its ruling that the foundation later transferred ownership of land from the temple to the foundation and later sold it to Alpine Real Estate and the Alpine Golf and Sports Club for Bt142 million.

 

The companies - owned by family and friends of the late veteran politician Snoh Thienthong, deputy interior minister in charge of the Land Department at that time - developed the land including the golf course.

 

The assets were later sold to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra with the help of former Thai Rak Thai executive Pongsak Ruktapongpisal.

 

On the same day that the land was sold, the two companies mortgaged the land for Bt220 million, the court said.

 

Later, the Land Department issued an order to revoke the transfer of the land to the companies on the grounds that the ownership transfer was illegal.

 

After 290 people appealed against the Land Department’s order, Yongyuth rescinded the order of the Land Department chief.

 

The court ruled that Nuam stated in her will that the land was to go to the temple and not the foundation. The court said the temple had already registered the land as monastic land and had let people lease the plots for rice farming, showing that the temple had obtained ownership of the land.

 

The court added that Nuam’s will took effect immediately after her death. As a result, the Land Department chief’s order to prohibit the transfer of monastic land to the companies was valid.

 

The court ruled that Yongyuth intended to omit that fact and to interpret the law in favor of the companies, so he abused his authority to cause damage to the temple and to Buddhism.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30325188

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-29

[ChrisY1]

Again, a completely false headline.....he hasn't been jailed..but seeking release upon appeal....but nevertheless, he never will be locked up....appeals here for the connected take years..:))

[saakura]

Only 2 years, what a farce!

[halloween]

Now why would a senior public servant do something so blatantly illegal? What did he get out of the deal?

 

Yongyuth Wichaidit   TRT-Health Minister under Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (2003–05) and advisor to Minister of Interior Kowit Wattana in Somchai Wongsawat's PPP-led government (2008), Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior in the government of Yingluck Shinawatra.

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, halloween said:

Now why would a senior public servant do something so blatantly illegal? What did he get out of the deal?

 

Yongyuth Wichaidit   TRT-Health Minister under Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (2003–05) and advisor to Minister of Interior Kowit Wattana in Somchai Wongsawat's PPP-led government (2008), Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior in the government of Yingluck Shinawatra.

 

All just a big misunderstanding. He was handpicked for those roles because of his knowledge and skill.