An inquiry has been initiated concerning accusations of land encroachment within Khao Yai National Park, with a strong commitment from authorities to recover properties unlawfully constructed on land designated for landless farmers and to penalize all implicated officials.
This development stems from a meeting between Thanadon Suwannarit, an advisor to the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thamanat Prompow, and Theppasu Bavornchotidara, the Secretary-General of the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO). They discussed establishing a collaborative committee to combat corruption within the agricultural sector.
According to Thanadon, the ministry’s investigation revealed numerous farmers violating regulations related to the use of Sor Por Kor land bordering the park. These violations include unauthorized soil excavation for commercial purposes and the sale of these parcels to individuals ineligible for occupancy.
In response, Thanadon mentioned that the ministry and AMLO are devising strategies to seize properties involved in the illicit use or transfer of Sor Por Kor plots. He specifically identified two officials from the Agricultural Land Reform Office (ALRO) in tambon Moosi, situated in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Chong district, suspected of being involved in the illegal allocation of Sor Por Kor plots.
He stated that arrest warrants are imminent for these two officials, with an additional seven officials slated for questioning regarding the matter. The ministry has found three Sor Por Kor plots currently occupied by a major corporation, prompting an ongoing investigation with collaboration between the ministry and AMLO to track the financial transactions of the corporation.
Furthermore, Thanadon mentioned that five farmers, holders of the Sor Por Kor deeds, will also be subject to police questioning. However, he clarified that no political connections have been unearthed thus far.
ALRO Secretary-General Vinaroj Sapsongsuk revealed that AMLO will establish a subcommittee to work with the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission, the Office of the Attorney-General, the Royal Thai Police, and other agencies to facilitate information exchange. ALRO will compile a list of Sor Por Kor deed recipients for public scrutiny, Vinaroj added.
“We will also establish a subcommittee at the district level to encourage residents’ participation, ensuring transparency in the inspection process.”
