Council leader defies agency, says ready to fight
Despite a clear legal threat, the Council for People from the Four Regions yesterday resolved not to back down from its efforts to occupy Thai Asset Management Corporation (TAMC) land plots.
The council's chairman Prapas Ngoksoongnern announced the resolution after he convened a meeting of key men in his network.
More than 200 representatives of various groups showed up for the meeting, which took place after TAMC warned the council's members to vacate the plots or face legal action.
"We are ready to accept the consequences. We are ready to face and fight against the charges," Prapas said.
He warned that prosecution against his council's members could backfire.
"People who feel the government is ignoring their plight will come forward and stand with us," Prapas threatened.
He said council members had begun to occupy the TAMC land plots after waiting too long for the government's help.
"We will make use of their land plots for our livelihoods. TAMC has left them idle for nearly a decade," Prapas said.
TAMC had been preparing to auction off the foreclosed plots of land and pay the money to various financial institutions, the original creditors.
The council is convinced these land plots should belong to the people - because the government has used taxpayers' money to salvage many banks out of the 1997 financial crisis.
"What about grassroots people? We have always been ignored." Prapas said.
He claimed that TAMC looked set to favour some investors in the upcoming auctions and it was necessary for his council to take hold of those land plots first.
"The government should then consider allocating those plots to landless, needy people," he said.
Meanwhile, Nakhon Ratchasima deputy police chief Colonel Boonlert Wongwajjana said local police were gathering evidence about the encroachment on TAMC land plots.
"We will soon summons the council's key members for questioning," he said.
TAMC has already lodged complaints with various police stations over the encroachments.