Sorayut faces fresh land-grab scrutiny

Sorayut faces fresh land-grab scrutiny

Channel 3 news anchor Sorayut Sutasanajinda (inset) invested in Moon Dance Khao Yai Residence, on the southern edge of Khao Yai National Park. (Main photo from company website; Sorayut photo by Bangkok Post)
Channel 3 news anchor Sorayut Sutasanajinda (inset) invested in Moon Dance Khao Yai Residence, on the southern edge of Khao Yai National Park. (Main photo from company website; Sorayut photo by Bangkok Post)

Officials say doubts still remain about Channel 3 news anchor Sorayut Sutasanajinda's recent purchase of land in Nakhon Ratchasima's Pak Chong district.

Despite having cleared him earlier for illegally acquiring the property, the Agricultural Land Reform Office (Alro) now says it should not have been so hasty.

Fresh doubts were raised yesterday by Premchit Sangkapong, Alro's deputy secretary-general. She did not mention the news anchor by name, but referred to his property on Moondance Khao Yai Residence.

Just last week, her boss, Alro secretary-general Sansern Ajjutamanas, cleared the broadcaster of encroachment, saying his property was issued with Nor Sor 3 Kor papers. Sorayut bought eight rai of land there for the housing project. Sorayut could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Initial investigations suggest the Moondance Khao Yai Residence sits on Alro-owned land, known as Sor Por Kor land, which is reserved for agricultural purposes. Alro now says it wonders how the housing estate was able to obtain the land as it sits in a forest.

Sorayut Sutasanajinda: Pak Chong property purchase probed

The office received this plot of land from the Royal Forestry Department in 1993, one year after land title deeds were issued. The issuing of the deeds was based on Nor Sor 3 Kor documents provided by the land owners. These documents, which can later be updated to full title deeds, were issued in 1976 when officials surveyed the land.

The Alro has no idea whether this plot of land was separated from the forest area before Nor Sor 3 documents were issued, Ms Premchit said, insisting the forest is a prohibited area and land-use documents are unable to be granted for it without proper procedure.

If this plot of land was not separated from the forest, issuing documents for it would be illegal, she said.

This is a worry to the Lands Department because much of Pak Chong district faces a similar problem due to the behaviour of unscrupulous land officials, Ms Premchit said.

Many areas in Khao Yai, Wang Nam Khieo, as well as some tourist spots and residences with beautiful backdrops belonging to famous politicians are all suspected of being built on Sor Por Kor land, she added.

Kirimaya Golf Resort and Spa, located near Khao Yai National Park, has also been dragged into the land-grab scandal. Parts of it allegedly encroach on Sor Por Kor land and overlap onto self-help settlement land, overseen by the Social Development and Welfare Department.

Ms Premchit called on the National Council for Peace and Order to clarify which areas of Pak Chong belong to Alro, the self-help settlement scheme and the Royal Forestry Department.

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