Probe launched into 17 tin mines

PHUKET: Vice-Governor Pongpow Ketthong has been appointed by Governor Udomsak Usawarangkura to preside over a committee investigating the titles for 17 plots of land in various parts of Phuket. The plots, covering a total of 1,000 rai, were formerly tin mine concessions. “The investigating committee will check whether the land titles were issued legally,” V/Gov Pongpow told the Gazette today. “After that we will report to Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. We still don’t have clear information about how all 17 deeds were issued. Once we have that, we can disclose the information to the public.” He declined to say specifically where the 17 sites are. The committee will consist of officers from the Phuket Provincial Land Office, the Phuket Treasury Office, the Forestry Office and the Phuket Land Reform Office. V/Gov Pongpow said that five of the 17 plots in particular are suspected of having possibly illegal land titles. The results of the investigation should be known in about 15 days.