14 resorts, hotels encroach on Sirinat

14 resorts, hotels encroach on Sirinat

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has found four of 14 hotels and resorts it probed have encroached on Sirinat National Park and the nearby forest reserves of Khao Ruak-Khao Muang in Phuket. 

Speaking at a briefing on Thursday on the probe, DSI chief Suwanna Suwanjuta said her agency had asked the Department of Lands for details on land deeds issued for resorts and hotels on the land.

Many people are involved in the network, including civil servants and first land-owners, she said.

Investigation reports have been sent to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) for further work.

Investigations into another 10 hotels and resorts in the area are now underway, she said. 

Ms Suwanna said aerial photographs of the parks taken in 1967 will be used to determine whether the owners encroached on the protected land.

Sirinat is a marine park covering an area of about 60,000 rai in Thalang district of Phuket.

The Department of Lands will be asked to revoke the land title deeds over the encroached areas, she said.

Speaking about the DSI's performance, Ms Suwanna said the DSI has taken up a total of 1,815 cases as special cases. Probes have been completed in 1,502 cases.

The agency is now probing 313 cases, while another 291 cases are likely to be investigated next year.

The DSI will focus on preventing crimes and supplying information to the public to prevent them falling prey to criminals, particularly pyramid schemes, she said.

Speaking about claims that DSI officials had taken bribes from oil-smuggling gangs in the South, Ms Suwanna said the investigation was still underway.

The accused officers have asked to postpone giving their accounts. 

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