Samui land; Most developers not licensed, titles dodgy

Source; Bangkokpost July 24 2006

People interested in buying property on the resort island of Koh Samui have been warned they could end up with an illegal title, as only 10% of the property developers operating there are licensed. Sathorn Luangpatipat, president of the Surat Thani Consumer Protection Association, said information from the Koh Samui land office showed that as many as 90% of developers advertising property in magazines and on websites were not licensed to do business.

Pha-Ngan official warns not to sell land to foreign

Samui used as an example of how to destroy island environment by excessive development

Source: The Nation July 24 2006

Villagers on the island of Koh Pha-Ngan have been urged by a provincial official to help promote eco-tourism and keep their land out of the hands of foreigners. Thawatchai Terdphaothai, the deputy governor of Surat Thani province, said yesterday he did not want to see Koh Pha-Ngan face the same fate as neighbouring Koh Samui, where land rights have been sold to foreign investors and the natural environment has been ruined by tourism.

Thawatchai asked Koh Pha-Ngan villagers to learn from the recent case of (alleged) illegal land sales on Koh Samui involving foreigners.

IIlegal land deals, title deeds on Samui issued unlawfully

Source: Bangkokpost - 21 July 2006

Firm to be sued for illegal land deals. Title deed on Samui issued unlawfully.

SUPAPHONG CHAOLAN

A panel investigating the issuing of land documents on Koh Samui is preparing legal action against a company for alleged illegal acquisition of land on the tourist island. Sunthorn Watcharakuldirok, director of the Forestry Department's forest protection and suppression division, who heads the inquiry, said they had finished compiling documentary evidence relating to the occupation of a 96 rai block of land on Khao Duang Nok mountain.

KOH SAMUI LAND PROBE

Findings reveal less than half of land legally bought

Source: The Nation - 20 July 2006

Preliminary findings of a Koh Samui land probe have concluded that less than half of a disputed tract had been legally purchased. The fate of the controversial plot on the island's north coast is in limbo. Developer Samui Property Solutions Co Ltd is offering the land for sale.

Land ownership on Samui being checked

Source: The Nation - 13 July 2006

Land ownership on Samui and Pha Ngan islands is to be scrutinised following complaints of encroachment

Suratthani: Land ownership on Samui and Pha Ngan islands is to be scrutinised following complaints of encroachment onto forest reserve land and other illegal ownership. Suratthani Governor Wichit Wichaisan said yesterday he had assigned his deputy Thawatchai Therdphaothati to take charge of the issue and have officials thoroughly check all Samui land-ownership deals, especially sites near mountains and hillsides.

Criminal gangs on Samui

Source: Bangkokpost - 07 August 2006

Police believe British man is the brains behind criminal gangs on resort island

WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM Special Branch police are gathering evidence against an Indian-born British property developer they believe launders drug money and pulls the strings behind the Bandidos motorcycle gang on Koh Samui, said a police source. However, the suspect's name has been withheld as police seek more evidence before asking a court to issue an arrest warrant.

The highly placed National Police Office source said the man is married to a Thai and runs at least 10 land development firms on the resort island.

One of the firms is believed to have been registered with the Department of Business Development on Nov 8, 2001 , with four million baht in capital. The firm is located in Bo Phut on Samui. Its board of directors include the British man, his wife and another foreign man and Thai woman.

My ministers not involved, says premier

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 18 July 2006 / Source: The Nation

Allegations that members of the government had encroached on forest land

WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM: Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra rejected allegations yesterday that members of his government had encroached on forest land on Koh Samui. Mr Thaksin gave his personal guarantees that none of his ministers were linked to the scam and caretaker Natural Resources and Environment Minister Yongyuth Tiyapairat had undertaken an inspection trip to look into the allegations. Mr Thaksin insisted that the encroachers would be brought to justice, no matter who they were.

New Property Law may signal boom end

Source: Samui Community Newspaper - June 2006

A new Interior Ministry regulation that came into effect on May 25 seriously affect Thailand's property sector by requiring all partly foreign owned companies to demonstrate the source of their capital before being allowed to buy land. The regulations have already caused property sales in Thailand's popular beach resorts to slow down, as they effectively remove a loophole in Thailand's strict laws that otherwise prohibit foreigners from directly purchasing property themselves.