NAKHON RATCHASIMA — Police have filed five charges against a manager of Bonanza Khao Yai resort for allegedly illegally building a race track and other facilities on forest land in Pak Chong district.
Pol Maj Sayan Chantapanya, an investigator at Pak Chong police station, lodged the charges against Nithitchet Sutthichareonkul, environmental and activities manager at Bonanza Resort Khao Yai after he handed the officer land ownership documents for 55 rai of land plots used to build the race track.
Pol Maj Sayan detained him on suspicion of forest encroachment under the Forest Act, the National Park Act, the Land Code Act, the Enhancement and Conservation of National Environment Quality Act, and the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
A task force of officials from various agencies on Tuesday raided a golf course and nearby race track at the popular resort believed to have been built illegally on parts of Khao Siad, a national forest reserve.
Col Sommai Busaba, head of the Second Army's legal team and a task force member, said the inspection found the resort had intruded on the forest reserve land and all illegally built structures would be torn down. The race track was also built without permission. He said the operator could present documents to authorities for only 47 of 200 rai of land that was inspected on Tuesday, he said.
Col Sommai pledged to restore the state's ownership of the forest land.
On Tuesday, Phathamon Techanarong, a daughter of resort owner Phaiwong Techanarong, said she was confident her family had done nothing wrong and backed up her claim with copies of deeds for the land. She said the original documents were kept in Bangkok.
However, if the land encroachment allegations are proved, her family will dismantle the buildings and return the land to the state, Ms Phathamon said.
Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya said encroachment by Bonanza Khao Yai had taken place and the offenders would face prosecution even if they reinstated the land. Legal action would also be taken against government officials who had failed to enforce the law and turned a blind eye to the resort’s land invasion, he added.