Land Department calls for arrests

BANGKOK, The Nation: The Land Department in Bangkok yesterday requested the Crime Suppression Police (CSP) to arrest Thawatchai Anukul, Thawatchai Anukul, formerly registrar of the Phuket Provincial Land Office (PPLO) and of a district land office in Phang Nga, along with other officers who allegedly collaborated with him in issuing false documents and abusing their position as government officers. Documents handed to the CSP cite eight specific cases. The first involved the issue of Chanotes, numbered 42650 and 42651, for land in Tambon Karon, in the name of Phanthong Naranong. The Land Department claims that the titles were falsely issued and that the signature of the Chief of the PPLO at that time was forged. K. Thawatchai is also accused of being involved in the issue of SorKor 1 papers for six pieces of land in Phang Nga, with the area of the land registered in each case being massively inflated. In some cases, these papers were then falsely upgraded. The pieces of land in question were: – SorKor 1 No 40, for land in Moo 2, Tambon Lamgaen, Phang Nga, which was inflated from 14 rai to 74 rai before being issued with Chanote No 10127. – SorKor 1, No 63, for land in Moo 6, Tambon Natoey, Phang Nga, which was inflated from 11.3.38 rai to 71.3.38 rai before being issued with Chanote No 10152. – SorKor 1 No 8, for land in Moo 2, Tambon Lamgaen, Phang Nga, which was inflated from 7.1.75 rai to 47.1.75 rai before being issued with NorSor 3 Kor No 686. – SorKor 1 No 33, for land in Moo 2, Tambon Lamgaen, Phang Nga, which was inflated from 1.2.0 rai to 4.2.0 rai. – SorKor 1 No 59, for land in Moo 6, Tambon Natoey, Phang Nga, which was inflated from 0.1.92 rai to 22.1.92 rai. – SorKor 1 No 29, for land in Moo 2, Tambon Lamgaen, Phang Nga, which was inflated from 14.0.80 rai to 145.0.80 rai. The description of the land in the register also appeared to have been altered. In Phuket, K. Thawatchai is accused of assisting in the registration of a “flying SorKor 1” – a technique whereby the paperwork from one piece of land is altered so that it appears to cover another piece of land. The land in this case was described in SorKor 1 No 260, for land in Moo 6 (3), Tambon Kamala, subsequently upgraded to NorSor 3 Kor No 1190, and altered so that it appeared to apply to a different piece of land on Laem Nakalay. He is also accused of the illegitimate issue of Chanote title Nos 61483 to 61491, referring to land in Tambon Rassada, Phuket. K. Thawatchai resigned from the PPLO shortly before Assistant Chief Land Officer Pongtorn Hiranyaburana was assassinated, sparking the current land probe.