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Senator Banpacha Pongaryukul, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agricuture and Cooperatives yesterday warned the government against rushing to implement the Sor Por Kor 4-01 land reform programme saying it should first pay attention to water management.

Banpacha said water is the most significant resource for farmers. Out of 320 million rai of agricultural areas, 130 million rai was the land that needs help from the irrigation system. If the government wanted to help farmers, it should turn attention to water management instead of pushing for land reform programme.

Senator Chirmsak Pinthong however threw his weight behind the government saying the Sor Por Kor 4-01 land reform programme was the correct way in attacking the farmers' problem. He recommended that the government gave the farmers full land title deeds so that they are not taken advantages by capitalists.

Senior citizen Dr Prawase Wasi also supported the land reform programme saying it would help farmers in the long term but the problem was the government must ensure the programme was carried out with justice and all poor farmers benefit from it.

Pheu Thai Party party list Mp Chatuporn Prompan said the Abhisit government shoud apologise the public first if it wanted to push for the Sor Por Kor 4-01 land reform programme. He said Prime Mniister Abhisit Vejjajiva had admitted that the Democrat-led, Chuan Leekpai government committed wrong over the allocation of the land and his government would not repeat the same mistake.


The programme initiated by the Chuan government, meant to provide land documents from nude forests to poor farmers, ended up benefiting wealthy families and businessmen, many with links to members of the Democrat Party.

After obtaining the Sor Por Kor land title deeds, the land, the rich developed it into resort properties instead of using it for agricultural purposes as intended.

The widespread corruption brought down the Chuan government in May 1995 after Newin Chidchob, a leader of the Friends of Newin group, took a leading role to expose corruption in the no-confidence debate. The Palang Dharma, a coalition party, pulled out of the government causing Chuan to dissolve House.