Opposition warns pm over landreform plan

Abhisit said the government would use the lessons learnt during the Chuan government to prevent the same problems from recurring. He urged government critics not to be too pessimistic against the programme, saying the government wanted to solve the land problem for the poor by setting up the right system.

He added that other land reform projects are more corruption-prone than the Sor Por Kor.

"I am confident that the same problems will not be repeated. The problems happened because of misunderstanding over criteria in allocating land. But now we have court verdicts that can be used as a norm. Whoever is out of these criteria will be wrong,'' he said.

The programme, intended to provide land documents to poor farmers, ended up benefiting wealthy families and businessmen, many with links to members of the Democrat Party.

After obtaining rights to some of the land, the rich developed it into resort properties instead of using it for agricultural purposes as intended.

Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit said he was tipped off that politicians in the government had nominees or representatives held possession of thousands of rai of land in the four southern provinces on the Andaman Sea, including Krabi, Phang Nga, Phuket and Surat Thani.

He said the party had already prepared information to grill the government on the floor of the House.

"I hope the Sor-Por Kor was a nightmare only for the Chuan government and history will not repeat itself for the Abhisit government,'' he said.

Abhisit denied that the Democrat Party had a deal with the Friends of Newin group to continue with the land-reform programme in return for allowing the Transport Ministry, under the control of the Newin group, to operate the 4,000 NGV buses project and the Dust Free Roads projects.

Abhisit said he had talked to the Friends of Newin group about the continuation of the Sor Por Kor programme and believed the group would not put any pressure on the government.

The Newin group recently gave media interviews expressing frustration and disappointment that two of its projects may be stalled by the government.

Abhisit said the Transport Ministry is reviewing the NGV buses project after there had been calls to assemble the buses domestically.

He denied conflicts over the Dust Free Road project, saying the government would support the project because it was a good project that can stimulate the economy. However if the Finance Ministry can find funds to finance the project, the project can be run this year, otherwise it can be operated by using next year's fiscal budget.

Newin Chidchob, a leader of the Friends of Newin group, took a leading role to expose corruption in the Sor Por Kor 4-01 land reform programme.

He was a member of the Group of 16 that successfully undermined the credibility of the government and embarrassed then agriculture minister Suthep Thaugsuban. The Palang Dharma, a coalition party, pulled out of the government, forcing Chuan to dissolve the House and call a snap election.