Former Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief Tarit Pengdith and his wife did not encroach on a national forest reserve, their lawyer said on Wednesday.
An aerial view shows the houses in Pak Chong district of Nakhon Ratchasima demolished before authorities inspected the area. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
Manus Thongsrisomboon showed evidence including land title deeds to substantiate their position that the two plots of land were legally owned and are not in Pa Khao Sied-Ar national forest reserve in Pak Chong district of Nakhon Ratchasima.
The two adjacent plots and houses sitting on the foothills of the national forest reserve were bought under the name of Mr Tarit's wife, Wassamon. Another plot separated by a local road was bought by Wantana Pipatchaisiri, a close friend of Mrs Wassamon.
The plot belonging to Mrs Wantana was also bought legally and did not encroach upon the forest, said Mr Manus, who also works for Mrs Wantana.
The land title deeds for the three plots were issued in 1987, he said.
All of the buildings came to the public's attention five months ago after villagers in the area filed a complaint with Prasarn Marukpitak, who was a senator at the time, in which they said they suspected the properties had encroached on areas reserved for national forest.
The lawyer's account of that part of the land owned by Mrs Wantana contradicted the Royal Forest Department's view.
It has found that the two houses owned by Mrs Wantana were sitting on forest reserve and the department had planned to demolish them on Tuesday after placing a notice on the buildings in April. No one came forward to claim ownership.
The buildings were razed before officials and the former senator went to the area on Tuesday.
Mr Manus claimed the demolished houses were located on another plot of land that Mrs Wantana rented from the Royal Forest Department. It was adjacent to her legal land, he added.
The demolition was made after the department cancelled the lease, he added.
Mr Prasarn questioned the rush to destroy the houses before authorities came, saying the owner wanted to destroy all evidence.
Video by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill