Chane denies encroachment

Chane denies encroachment

Former Democrat Party MP Chane Thaugsuban yesterday denied allegations of involvement with a land encroachment case in Loei province. 

Chane: Brother of Suthep Thaugsuban

Speaking from Surat Thani, Mr Chane, younger brother of former People's Democratic Reform Committee secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban, admitted he had "checked out" plots of land in Loei, but never bought one because they had no land title deeds.

On Thursday, a combined task force destroyed about 100 rubber trees on the encroached land and placed a sign on a Thai-style house on the land seeking the owner, said Yongyut Chamnanloop, chief of the Provincial Natural Resources and Environment Office in Loei.

Mr Chane said he acknowledged that he was often name-dropped in several land deals in the province. Col Pongpeth Ketsupha of the Internal Security Operations Command said earlier that a man who claimed to own the plots allegedly encroached on the national forest reserve and he was also a nominee for Mr Chane. Col Pongpeth said further investigations will be made.

"All the workers who were arrested on Thursday named the real owner who is a politician from the south. Ordinary people can't claim large plots of land, only an influential figure can," Mr Yongyut said.

Police are investigating to find out who the real owner of over 700 rai in Phu Kaew-Pa Dong Pak Chom national forest reserve in Chiang Khan district is, the chief said, adding the encroachment began in 2009.

Mr Yongyut said the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) would be asked to investigate the source of the money used to buy the land to try to find out who bought it. He said cooperation from Amlo with the case will help stop further encroachment. The owner must declare ownership within 30 days and all rubber trees on the encroached land will be cut
down, he said.

Meanwhile, at least 30 forest officials, including senior officials in Saraburi province, were transferred to inactive posts after a series of reports on forest encroachment.

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