The Treasury Department has said the construction of the Central Village shopping complex in Samut Prakan province has encroached on state land in the compound of Suvarnabhumi airport.
Director-general Amnuay Preemonwong told Thai media on Friday the department had found some of the plots were state land owned by the department.
“The Airports Department used state budgets to buy the land from people back in 1968-70 for its use when it was the Commercial Aviation Department,” he explained.
The 26 plots, totalling 184 rai, 13 ngarn and 26 square wah (30 hectares), were registered as state land and the department is occupying it. They are used as the entrance and exit to the airport to the south, linking the gateway with the Burapavithee Expressway, he added.
“As the user of the plots, the department is duty-bound to take care of the land under its care and to inform any party which has encroached it to demolish structures in the area,” he added.
The Airports Department on Thursday told CPN to stop its construction of the shopping complex since it encroached on state land. Its construction plans also need to be approved by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) for aviation safety.
Central Pattana Plc, the project’s owner, maintained in building the project, it had taken all required legal and regulatory steps, sought permissions from related agencies and complied with safety standards.
“We maintain no part of the project is on state land. And we will continue to consider safety, sustainable environment conservation and community development going forward,” it said.
Before embarking on the project, the SET-listed retailer also said it had held hearings and people in Bang Chalong, Bang Phli district, gave it a good response.
“Each building is no larger than 2,000 sq m and less than 23m high. They are being built on the land bought legally from private entities. It is near Suvarnabhumi, but not on its land and/or state land,” the company said.
The CAAT confirmed it had approved the project, which it said had complied with safety requirements.
CPN shares climbed 0.34% to 74.25 baht in trade worth 142 million baht at 1pm on Friday.