Samui land owner nabbed at Don Muang

By WASSAYOS NGARMKHAM

A Koh Samui landlord was yesterday arrested at Don Muang airport for alleged illegal occupation of land and forest encroachment on the resort island. Suthep Wangdan, alias Ko Sai, 50, was detained by a team of forestry police, said Pol Maj-Gen Lattasanya Piansomparn, commander of the Central Investigation Bureau's natural resources and environmental crime department.

The arrest followed a complaint filed on Aug 20 by Noppadol Pattama, assistant to caretaker Natural Resources and Environment Minister Yongyuth Tiyapairat and Forestry Department deputy chief Thanee Viriyarattanaporn against Mr Suthep for allegedly encroaching on forest land on Khao Duang Nok mountain in tambon Bor Phud on Samui island.

Police investigating the case say that Mr Suthep gave false information to land officials when he used a Sor Khor 1 land occupation paper to apply for a title deed for 49 rai of forest land on the mountain.

The Sor Khor 1 paper no. 220 held by Mr Suthep was also for another land plot.

Pol Maj-Gen Lattasanya said Mr Suthep had illegally cleared and occupied forest land without permission, causing around 7.4 million baht in damage to the state.

The officer, however, said no politicians were involved in the illegal encroachment.

Mr Suthep yesterday denied all charges.

Mr Thanee, head of an investigation team into illegal land occupation on Koh Samui, added that he had proposed the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and the Land Department revoke Nor Sor 3 Khor land rights documents and title deeds for 267 rai of land, part of The Peak property development project on the nearby Khao Dang mountain.

The land plots, which are located in prime forest area, are jointly occupied by three firms _ Rajthanee Realty Co, Samui Luxury and Samui Panorama, he said.

The investigating panel has been tracking down the companies' owners, who face charges of illegal land occupation and forest encroachment, said Mr Thanee.

He said authorities were also gathering evidence to confirm the link between Mr Suthep and The Peak project.