Land scams still need help to take root
Written by changthai11 on Sunday, September 21st, 2008
Land scams still need help to take root
ENCROACHMENT FLOURISHING ON COAST WITH HELP FROM LAND STAFF, LAWYERS
KING-OUA LAOHONG
Encroachment on public land in three coastal provinces on the Andaman Sea is flourishing, allegedly with the collaboration of land officials, said a special investigator.
Pravuth Wongsinil, senior inquiry official for the consumer and environment protection unit of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), said public beaches and forest reserves in Phuket, Phangnga and Krabi have been exploited by both Thai and foreign investors.
In Phuket, public land has been encroached on for real estate development schemes such as resorts and hotels.
A one-rai section on Phuket’s popular beaches can fetch 28-30 million baht.
One example of land misuse which has come to light is the “flying Sor Khor” scam, he said.
Investors buy land from villagers who occupy vacant forest land and apply for a Sor Khor 1 document for the land they buy.
They will destroy the document and re-apply for a new one using the same serial number.
However, the land specified in the new document is not the old plot, but expensive beach land, said Pol Lt-Col Pravuth.
In the other two provinces of Phangnga and Krabi, most encroachers do not intend to make use of plots they have illegally occupied.
They need land documents to serve as collateral to apply for bank loans, said Pol Lt-Col Pravuth.
The scam was introduced during the asset-to-capital programme promoted by the Thaksin administration.
Foreigners get around legal restrictions on foreign land ownership using land leasing laws.
“Investors hire legal experts to point out loopholes, and government officials are on their side,” he said.
The DSI had accepted more than 30 cases of land encroachment for investigation, he said.
Kowit Sripairoj, a prosecutor attached to Surat Thani’s prosecution service, said investors default on their loans, then try to buy the same land in auction sales.
He called on local civic groups to keep an eye on public land encroachment and report it.
Thanu Naebnian, coordinator of a project to rehabilitate natural resources on the Andaman coast, said land encroachment schemes can involve large syndicates with backing from forestry officials, land officials and local administration officials.
He said that with help from these officials, some occupants who secure Sor Khor 1 title deeds for one rai have managed to add surrounding areas taking the total area under their possession to three rai.
“Land encroachment in the coastal provinces is severe. Investors claim ownership over public land or forest reserves on which residents have been making a living.
“They encroach on beaches and mangrove forests and build piers while authorities take no action,” he said.
