Thai Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul – also the leader of the coalition party Bhumjaithai – said on Thursday that Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's family's ownership of vast land tracts belonging to Alpine Golf and Sports Club must be revoked.
Mr Anutin said Chamnanwit Terat, deputy permanent secretary for the interior, was duty-bound to carry out the ownership revocation by the end of September, before he retires in October. Mr Chamnanwit supervises the Department of Lands.
Mr Anutin said he expected Mr Chamnanwit would complete the process in time; otherwise, Mr Chamnanwit could be held responsible for dereliction of duty.
The deputy permanent secretary had no other options because the Council of State already pointed to the revocation of the land ownership by the private sector, Mr Anutin said.
If the land is revoked, the present owners must be compensated and the Department of Lands will face a heavy burden because the compensation will be based on the currently assessed price of the land, Mr Anutin said.
The Bhumjaithai Party leader said the matter did not imply any possible conflict between his party and the Pheu Thai Party of Prime Minister Paetongtarn.
A Pheu Thai minister earlier insisted that a disputed Khao Kradong land plot in Buri Ram province belonged to the State Railway of Thailand. Buri Ram is a political stronghold of Bhumjaithai.
Ownership history
The 924-rai land at Alpine Golf and Sports Club and a related housing complex in Klong Luang district of Pathum Thani had been donated by a widow, Noem Chamnanchartsakda, to Wat Dhammamikaramvoraviharn, a temple in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, in 1971.
After her death, the Mahamongkut Ratchawittayalai Foundation was appointed executor of Noem's estate. The foundation sold the land to Alpine Real Estate and Alpine Golf and Sports Club. The law prohibits the sales of temple land.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn, who took office on Aug 18 last year, used to hold 22.41 million shares in Alpine Golf and Sports Club Co. However, she had transferred those shares to her mother, Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra, as of Sept 4, according to Isra News. Khunying Potjaman is the former wife of ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
A record of shareholders dated Sept 4 last year shows Khunying Potjaman, Panthongtae Shinawatra and Pinthongta Shinawatra Kunakornwong hold 29.88 million, 22.42 million and 22.41 million shares in the company respectively. Mr Panthongtae and Ms Pinthongta are Ms Paetongtarn's elder siblings.