The Council of State (CoS) has called on the Interior Ministry to request a 7.7-billion-baht budget from the government to compensate those parties affected by the transfer of land where the Shinawatra family's Alpine golf course is located.
CoS secretary-general Pakorn Nilprapunt emphasised the need to compensate the individuals affected by the land transfer and hold responsible those officials whose negligence led to the improper transfer.
He acknowledged the lack of a budget for compensation, stressing the need for the ministry to consult the Budget Bureau to identify funding sources.
The controversial 924 rai of land is located in Klong Luang district of central Pathum Thani province. It was donated by Noem Chamnanchartsakda to Wat Thammikaram in 1971.
After her death, the Mahamongkut Ratchawittayalai Foundation was appointed executor of Noem's estate. The foundation then sold the land to Alpine Real Estate and Alpine Golf and Sports Club, of which the Shinawatra clan currently holds the company's shares, with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra formerly holding 22.41 million shares before transferring them to her mother.
Besides the golf course, there are also residential properties. The revocation of the land and its return to the temple will affect about 530 families.
Mr Pakorn said the court ruling to return the land had been in place since 2001.
"The main principle of the ruling is that land acquired by inheritance must be done as the inheritance owner specifies, so the land must belong to the temple," he said, adding that if the administrative order is improper, it should be revoked. If that then has an impact on honest people, legal action must be taken, he noted.
Ex-deputy interior minister Thaworn Senniam has called for compensation for the improper transfer to the Department of Lands.