Senior Hua Hin land office figures implicated in scam

[buksida]

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Police are to take action against six officials, including senior figures at the Land Department, for allegedly issuing illegal documents for two plots of land in Prachuap Khiri Khan province.

Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division chief Norasak Hemnithi said an investigation revealed irregularities in the issuing of title deeds for a seven-rai plot in tambon Hin Lek Fai in Hua Hin district and a four-rai plot in Hua Hin municipality.

Six officials, including local and high-level figures at the Land Department, and four other individuals were involved in the scam, Pol Maj Gen Norasak said.

The officials allegedly took bribes for the issuing of the title deeds, with the senior land officials receiving 200,000 baht per rai and the local administration officers being paid a total of 1.6 million baht, he said. Investigators have been instructed to compile all the evidence before filing formal charges against the officials.Pol Maj Gen Norasak spoke after leading more than 20 police officers yesterday on a raid to seize the two plots of land.

The seven-rai plot, located near a golf club in Hua Hin district, belongs to Prapaiporn Sukprasert and the smaller plot is owned by Surin Lakmuang, Pol Maj Gen Norasak said.

He said his division had originally confiscated the seven-rai plot on Dec 26, 2007, and later took a land encroachment case to court.

However, in 2010 it was discovered that a title deed had been issued for the land and had been sold for 7 million baht per rai, he said.

The second plot, which overlooks the sea, was seized from Surin between 2008 and 2009 and he was jailed for one month for forest encroachment. The court also ordered him to vacate the land.

Again, it was later found that a title deed had also been issued for this plot, he said. The prime coastal property could fetch up to 10 million baht per rai if sold, Pol Maj Gen Norasak added.

A source said title deeds were also found to have been unlawfully issued for several plots in Hua Hin town. Most are reportedly owned by senior officials and wealthy families.

Source: Bangkok Post

[PeteC]

I hope no one has unknowingly bought/built a house on any of it. I imagine it would be condemned after court proceedings, and leveled. Pete

[johnnyk]

Quelle surprise, as the French say. I'm shocked, just shocked.

[sateeb]

Isn't that a photo of the 10th at Black Mountain?

[Super Joe]

for a seven-rai plot in tambon Hin Lek Fai in Hua Hin district and a four-rai plot in Hua Hin municipality

Isn't that a photo of the 10th at Black Mountain?

I think I'd be right in saying Black Mountain is the only golf course in tambon HLF, so you probably correct Sateeb.


SJ

[JW]

That sure is Black Mountain....

[MrPlum]

Can't imagine they would level those properties. Any crystal-ball gazers care to guess what will happen? Is there a precedent in this area?

[blue05]

corruption? in Thailand? surely that cannot be

[STEVE G]

I cycle around that area when I'm back in Thailand and there are a few new developments crammed into valleys around Black Mountain golf course that don't really look like they're supposed to be there.

[fft100]

the picture shows the houses that BM have built - and on sale for 35m or 45m. Are they saying that those houses are affected ? Judging by the report, that cant be the case as they repossesed 7 rai of land, and no houses mentioned. anyone seen a load of police putting up a very long roll of crime scene tape ?

[PeteC]

Can't imagine they would level those properties. Any crystal-ball gazers care to guess what will happen? Is there a precedent in this area?

They seem quite serious these days about encroachment. The below story has been ongoing the past month or so, and is on the heels of the demolition going on up in Khao Yai NP. Pete


Samet resorts to be dismantled

Published: 15/11/2012 at 06:12 PM
Online news:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... ntled-soon

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk confirmed Thursday authorities will demolish three illegal resorts on Koh Samet in Rayong province but will wait until the Legal Execution Department finishes putting up demolition notices at all of them.

A court has already issued a verdict that the three resorts -- Ploy Samet Resort, Mook Samet and Unseen Resort -- encroached on Khao Lam Ya and Moo Koh Samet National Park, Mr Preecha said.

However, the ministry will have to wait for the Legal Execution Department to erect demolition notices at Mok Samet and Unseen Resort on Saturday. It erected a notice at Ploy Samet Resort last Sunday.

Mr Preecha said that by law if the resorts operators fail to dismantle their installations within the deadlines stipulated by the Legal Execution Department, the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department will immediately move ahead with the eviction plan.

The owners of the three resorts had formally asked the department to extend the demolition deadline until Oct 31. They said they needed more time to remove their belongings from the resorts and find money to pay for the demolition work.

Damrong Pidech, the department's former director-general, had agreed to the request, but before he retired in September, he visited the three resorts and found they were actually empty and furniture had already been moved out.

Mr Damrong was hailed as a local hero who had the courage to stand up to the rich and powerful to protect the country's dwindling forests during his tenure as department chief after having worked in forest protection for 40 years.

On concerns that no one would take decisive action as Mr Damrong's demolition plan might be delayed because his position is currently vacant, Mr Preecha said deputy department chief Reungchai Prayoonvej would handle the job “just fine”.

Mr Preecha vowed to punish anyone found guilty of intruding on state forests and parks, no matter how powerful they are.

“We cannot linger on this for any length of time as we would then be seen as being lax in our duties. I will try to take time out to travel there and oversee the demolition myself,” the minister said.

EDIT: I think there is similar action going on around Phuket and on Koh Samui as well.

[MrPlum]

I once had lunch in, Bangkok, with a group of Police and politicians, who thought I worked for a big company (it was until the recession hit). Along with trying to get me to run a brand new recycling factory, they were also trying to sell me land.

Isn't this fairly normal for the rich and connected? I believe in the UK common land was snaffled by the wealthy, or the church and title deeds issued accordingly.

[MrPlum]

The 7 rai at BM is between the Condo and Security gate, where the houses start, on the hill side of the road. It is not BM land, so will not affect any of the properties.