Crunch time for Phumtham
True to form, Mr Phumtham started his first week at the ministry by transferring two director-generals at the Department of Provincial Administration and the Department of Local Administration -- strategic bodies directly involved with local voters and administration.
Yet, Mr Phumtham will be judged on how he handles two controversial land issues. The first is land encroachment in Kao Kradong; the other is a scandal at the Alpine Golf Course.
Last Monday, Mr Phumtham announced a committee would investigate the long-standing Khao Kradong dispute in Buri Ram province, which involves state-owned land allegedly overlapping property linked to the influential Chidchob family.
The dispute, which spans over 50 years, centres on 5,083 rai in a designated forest conservation zone. The Supreme Court ruled the land belonged to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) prior to the issuance of land title deeds by the Department of Lands (DoL), and that those deeds were unlawful and must be revoked.
The DoL had previously decided not to revoke 900 deeds, including 20 linked to the influential Chidchob family, key players behind the Bhumjaithai Party (BJT).
The Kao Kradong issue is believed by most people to be a clash between Pheu Thai and the BJT. In January, former deputy interior minister Chada Thaiseth, a BJT lawmaker, signed an order to revoke the Shinawatra family's ownership of the Alpine Golf and Sports Club and an adjacent residential complex in Klong Luang district of Pathum Thani. This reversed an earlier court ruling that the land belonged to a Buddhist temple and therefore could not be sold.
The Alpine Golf Course is a long-running scandal centring on the sale of 924 rai of land in Pathum Thani belonging to Wat Dhammamikaramvoraviharn to Alpine Real Estate and Alpine Golf and Sport Club in 2002. Both companies are linked to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his daughter, the current suspended prime minister, Paetongtarn.
Originally, the land plot was donated by a widow, Noem Chamnanchartsakda, to Wat Dhammamikaramvoraviharn. After her death, the Mahamongkut Ratcha Wittayalai Foundation, which oversees the property on the late widow's behalf, sold plots to politicians. In 2002, the land was sold to Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra, four years before her then husband Thaksin became prime minister. The Shinawatras then developed the golf course and residential properties on it.
In April, following the ruling against them, the Shinawatra Family sued the Ministry of Interior and the Land Department for revoking the land, seeking 7.7 billion baht in compensation.
The spotlight is now on Mr Phumtham. Of course, he deserves praise for tackling the Kao Kradong dispute, but with his newly elevated status, he will be expected to adhere to the highest professional and ethical standards in his handling of the Alpine Golf Course affair. If any doubts over his scruples remain afterwards, Mr Phumtham risks being remembered as a politician who flunked the defining moment of his career to curry political favour for his party and his (suspended) boss.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bangkok Post
an hour ago
- Bangkok Post
Phumtham warns 'idle' officials
Interior Minister Phumtham Wechayachai yesterday warned idle ministry officials that they face the risk of being transferred, and that the reshuffle of positions within the ministry could be finalised this month. Mr Phumtham's warning came as speculation of a reshuffle arose ahead of the transfer season in late September, which is the end of the government fiscal budget year. "Nobody is going to wait until September," Mr Phumtham, who also serves as acting prime minister, told reporters in reference to the repositioning of high-ranking officials within the ministry to match its operational needs. "I have ordered all departments to start working because I want to see everything operational by Oct 1 because there are so many issues at hand," he said. Mr Phumtham said he expects all the changes to be completed by mid-August at the latest. When asked if the deputy permanent secretary for interior, who supervised the revocation of ownership of the Alpine Golf and Sports Club, would be transferred, Mr Phumtham said he would look into this and other cases, including the Khao Kradong land controversy. The Alpine Golf and Sports Club is linked to the Shinawatra family, while parts of the Khao Kradong land are linked to the Chidchob family, a main backer of the Bhumjaithai Party (BJT), which recently exited the government coalition. If there are grounds to claims of violations of Section 157 of the Criminal Code for malfeasance in office, or if any work duties have been neglected or laws breached, legal action may follow, Mr Phumtham said. Transfers of idle, under-performing or law-breaking staff can proceed immediately if there is sufficient evidence, he said.
Bangkok Post
19 hours ago
- Bangkok Post
Govt denies US demanded use of Thai navy base during tariff talks
Three cabinet ministers on Tuesday denied a report the United States demanded the use of a navy base in southern Phangnga province during tariff negotiations with Thailand. Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai expressed his concern over media reports that the US wanted use of the Phang-nga naval base, which fronts the Andaman Sea, in exchange for a favour during tariff negotiations. Mr Phumtham said at Government House on Tuesday that he had never discussed such an issue with the US. Mr Phutham, who is currently acting prime minister, said the navy wanted to develop the Phang-nga base as a major facility but budgetary constraints were holding it up. Deputy Defence Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit also said he had not seen any official offer on the matter, only unconfirmed media reports. He said Thailand adhered to its policy of 'balance' when it came to security issues. Foreign Affairs Minister Maris Sangiampongsa also said there was no official material on the matter. The reports were only speculation. A source at the navy said there was neither a plan to provide the US with long-term use of the Phang-nga naval base nor any confirmation that the US would fund the development of the base. Visits by American warships to Thai navy bases were covered by a long-standing bilateral agreement on logistics. The Thai armed forces would not allow any foreign military base in Thailand, the source said.
Bangkok Post
a day ago
- Bangkok Post
Crunch time for Phumtham
New interior minister, and current acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, is a man who can make tough decisions. His recent record includes the decision to return Uyghurs to China early this year, as demanded by Beijing. Last month, he approved a long-delayed, controversial submarine procurement from China -- a call that even junta leader-cum-prime minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha shied away from. True to form, Mr Phumtham started his first week at the ministry by transferring two director-generals at the Department of Provincial Administration and the Department of Local Administration -- strategic bodies directly involved with local voters and administration. Yet, Mr Phumtham will be judged on how he handles two controversial land issues. The first is land encroachment in Kao Kradong; the other is a scandal at the Alpine Golf Course. Last Monday, Mr Phumtham announced a committee would investigate the long-standing Khao Kradong dispute in Buri Ram province, which involves state-owned land allegedly overlapping property linked to the influential Chidchob family. The dispute, which spans over 50 years, centres on 5,083 rai in a designated forest conservation zone. The Supreme Court ruled the land belonged to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) prior to the issuance of land title deeds by the Department of Lands (DoL), and that those deeds were unlawful and must be revoked. The DoL had previously decided not to revoke 900 deeds, including 20 linked to the influential Chidchob family, key players behind the Bhumjaithai Party (BJT). The Kao Kradong issue is believed by most people to be a clash between Pheu Thai and the BJT. In January, former deputy interior minister Chada Thaiseth, a BJT lawmaker, signed an order to revoke the Shinawatra family's ownership of the Alpine Golf and Sports Club and an adjacent residential complex in Klong Luang district of Pathum Thani. This reversed an earlier court ruling that the land belonged to a Buddhist temple and therefore could not be sold. The Alpine Golf Course is a long-running scandal centring on the sale of 924 rai of land in Pathum Thani belonging to Wat Dhammamikaramvoraviharn to Alpine Real Estate and Alpine Golf and Sport Club in 2002. Both companies are linked to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his daughter, the current suspended prime minister, Paetongtarn. Originally, the land plot was donated by a widow, Noem Chamnanchartsakda, to Wat Dhammamikaramvoraviharn. After her death, the Mahamongkut Ratcha Wittayalai Foundation, which oversees the property on the late widow's behalf, sold plots to politicians. In 2002, the land was sold to Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra, four years before her then husband Thaksin became prime minister. The Shinawatras then developed the golf course and residential properties on it. In April, following the ruling against them, the Shinawatra Family sued the Ministry of Interior and the Land Department for revoking the land, seeking 7.7 billion baht in compensation. The spotlight is now on Mr Phumtham. Of course, he deserves praise for tackling the Kao Kradong dispute, but with his newly elevated status, he will be expected to adhere to the highest professional and ethical standards in his handling of the Alpine Golf Course affair. If any doubts over his scruples remain afterwards, Mr Phumtham risks being remembered as a politician who flunked the defining moment of his career to curry political favour for his party and his (suspended) boss.
