Policy initiated by deputy interior minister, who denies he was pushed
By the end of this month, all illegally-acquired land ownership will be revoked and reclaimed by the state under a new government policy initiated by Deputy Interior Minister Thaworn Senneam.
Reportedly with a political motive, Thaworn also included the Alpine golf course issue in this national scheme, saying that the golf course was not valid for purchase after it was ruled a monasticallyowned land by the Council of State, but it is now owned by a veteran politician, who is not allied with Democrat Party to which Thaworn belong.
"I will order all illegallyacquired land ownership across the country revoked, wherever it is found by the end of this month," he said.
Asked about a coming protest against the Land Department by redshirted protestors over questionable legality of a golf course in Khao Soi Dao forest reserve in Chanthaburi, Thaworn said he ordered the scheme at his own iniŽtiative, not under pressure by the antiDemocrat protestors.
The redshirted supporters were calling for revocation of land onwership at the Khao Soi Dao golf course and resort, following their claims that it was not acquired lawfully. Their similar efforts against a home of former prime minister Surayudh Chulanont at Khao Yai Theing in Nakhon Ratchasima resulted in him having to soon return the property to the state.
He also called on holders of nontransferable Sor Khor 1 ownership document to submit their request for transferable title deeds by this Friday - the deadline for current brief process. After the end of the deadline, the process would require court scrutiny and court orders for whatever request for any type of title deeds, which would be timeconŽsuming and requiring higher costs.
As for the Alpine golf course, which is located in Pathum Thani, the permanent secretary of the Interior Ministry would further handle it, and was expected to revoke land ownership and reclaim it, he said.
Meanwhile, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) said it was waiting for the Land Department's decision to revoke land onwership in the Khao Soi Dao case, after an ongoing Land Department investigation completed its invesitation into the matter.
DNP directorgeneral Jatuphron Burusphat said a criminal complaint was lodged over the matter on behalf of DNP, and the Royal Forest Department, but the legal procedure had stopped at the police's and public prosecutors' step, "without explanation". Of more than 1,000 rai, 480 rai, has been illegally acquired.
