SRT seeks to revoke 83 land deeds in Buriram court case
A high-stakes legal battle has begun in Buriram, northeast Thailand, as the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) seeks to reclaim over 700 rai of land allegedly covered by overlapping private title deeds.
At 9am yesterday, November 24, Pattarapong Suphakorn, known locally as Lawyer Aun Buriram, appeared with local representatives at the Buriram Provincial Court to support the SRT legal team in the first hearing of the high-profile Khao Kradong case.
Rungwit Chantrakool, a representative of the SRT legal team, revealed that lawsuits have been filed to revoke 83 land title deeds that allegedly overlap with official SRT land. The disputed area is part of a larger 5,083-rai parcel, which the railway agency claims is legally theirs.
Rungwit made it clear that the lawsuits are not politically motivated, stating that the SRT’s goal is to revoke illegal title deeds, regardless of the owner’s background.
“These actions are not aimed specifically at politicians. We are pursuing anyone holding deeds that overlap with SRT property.”
Initial legal action is targeting large plots, particularly those exceeding 10 rai or being used for business purposes. Smaller residential plots will be dealt with at a later stage. Rungwit also encouraged those who admit to occupying SRT land to voluntarily contact the Land Department to have their deeds revoked. In such cases, the SRT is willing to negotiate leases, provided there are no conflicting development plans.
Lawyer Aun said that fewer than 10% of the total 5,083 rai with overlapping claims have so far been contested in court, according to KhaoSod.
He emphasised the public interest in the outcome of the case and voiced strong support for the SRT’s legal team.
He also warned of potential political interference in the proceedings, urging SRT executives to resist any external pressure to drop or delay cases.
“If there is interference, those responsible could face prosecution under Section 157 of the Thai Criminal Code.”
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