The owner of Bonanza Golf and Country Club operating a golf course and racetrack in Nakhon Ratchasima's Pak Chong district will face legal action as authorities suspect parts of its land were illegally acquired.
Phaiwong Techanarong, owner of Bonanza Golf and Country Club, will face legal action after authorities found he paid local maintenance tax on the lands that had been illegally gained.
Thanawat Sanitsakdee, an investigator of special cases with the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) said only six plots of land on which the Bonanza Golf and Country Club operates have land documents issued by authorities.
He said a team of PACC authorities are working with the Department of Lands in Nakhon Ratchasima to check whether the documents were issued lawfully.
The rest of the land plots are suspected of being illegally acquired as they encroached upon the forest lands, he added.
The golf course and racetrack sit on a total area of about 4,000 rai of land.
The Royal Forest Department (RFD) lodged complaints with police to take legal action against the owner of the land that carried out the encroachment, Mr Thanawat said.
Authorities are expected to tear down buildings on the land in the next few weeks after the Songkran festival long weekend, he added.
Last week, a team of officials from the PACC, the Department of Special Investigation, the Royal Forest Department and 2nd Army Region soldiers inspected the golf course and racetrack lands.
Mr Thanawat said the PACC had examined Nor Sor 3 Kor documents and title deeds to check the status of the land.
The land had been inspected by a team of authorities in 1976 for the purpose of Nor Sor 3 Kor documents and title deeds were issued in 2006, Mr Thanawat said.
A report on the golf club's encroachment will be given to Justice Minister Paiboon Khumchaya, said the ministry's deputy permanent secretary Dusadee Arayawut.
Pol Col Dusadee added the crackdown on forest encroachment is proving successful and the ministry is considering pursuing a private company accused of encroaching on land near Khao Kradong Forest Park in Buri Ram province.
The land is owned by the State Railway of Thailand.
