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Songsak Thongsri Faces Khao Kradong Land Controversy: Legal Drama and Political Intrigue Unfold

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In a saga blending drama, land, and legalities, Deputy Interior Minister Songsak Thongsri took center stage on Monday to defend a contentious decision regarding land in Buri Ram’s Khao Kradong area. This twist comes despite a hefty Supreme Court ruling from 2021 declaring the land as the rightful property of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).

At the heart of this unfolding land drama lie the lush and sprawling 5,083 rai of the Khao Kradong area in Muang district. The battle lines have been drawn between the SRT and the Department of Land (DoL). The SRT, determined to reclaim what they see as theirs, accuses the DoL of foul play for dishing out land papers to occupants they claim are squatting illicitly.

The legal theater saw another act with the Central Administrative Court siding with the SRT, mandating a collaborative boundary check of Khao Kradong by the DoL and the rail agency. In response, the DoL assembled a cast of committee members under the watchful eye of Section 61 of the Land Code to dissect this land conundrum.

The plot thickened last week as it surfaced that this land committee had decided, in a decisive and unison vote, against revoking the contentious land documents. A decision nodded through by the DoL’s director-general. This outcome has stoked a wildfire of criticism and fueled a debate over whether an administrative ruling can trump the mighty Supreme Court verdict.

Enter Mr. Songsak, the Bhumjaithai Party’s tactful ministerial sage, echoing a balanced view. He assured that while he holds no stake in this fraught spectacle, there are layers to this drama that the public and SRT are blissfully ignorant of. With a diplomatic air, he mused on whether the Supreme Court ruling stretches its domain to all involved or merely to those party to the land fracas.

He encouraged the SRT to persist in their challenge to the DoL’s position but noted that their case lacks the punch—irrefutable evidence—to sway the land committee into annulling the land title deeds.

Dismissing rumors of biases, he shrugged off allegations linking committee members to powerful figures in Buri Ram, emphasizing that the committee’s appointment abides by stipulated regulations and highlighting accountability if laws are breached.

Now, let’s stir the intrigue pot a little further: among the 179 rai of land titles under scrutiny, 12 deeds reportedly belong to the Chidchob family—Buri Ram’s political juggernauts. The family doesn’t just own land; they evidently own institutions, including the high-octane Buriram International Circuit and a jaw-dropping 32,600-capacity football coliseum.

As this soap opera unwinds, Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong added his voice, opining that the land committee’s stance can’t possibly eclipse the Supreme Court’s decree. He nudged the SRT toward taking further legal strides.

The crux of the committee’s controversial stance rests on a map drama—a dichotomy between a map tendered to the Supreme Court by the SRT dating back to 1996, crafted under a provincial land encroachment committee’s aubergine-tinted vision, and an antique map pegged to a 1921 royal decree associated with the northeastern rail extension. Here lies the crux that led the committee to refrain from axing the land titles billeted by the DoL.

Whether hailed as a tactical maneuver or vilified as an administrative faux pas, this saga continues to enthrall and bewilder all who have tuned in, leaving many to wonder: what grand twist awaits in the next episode of the Khao Kradong land saga?

25 Comments

  1. Larry D November 12, 2024

    It’s ridiculous how the DoL thinks they can just ignore a Supreme Court ruling. It’s so obvious there’s something fishy going on.

    • Joe November 12, 2024

      Come on, courts are not infallible. Maybe they got it wrong this time.

      • Larry D November 12, 2024

        Mistakes happen, sure. But should biases and political ties be allowed to override justice?

    • Anna Lee November 12, 2024

      The land committee seems to have an agenda of their own. Why else would they ignore the highest court’s decision?

  2. grower134 November 12, 2024

    Why is anyone surprised that land and power in Thailand are so intertwined? This is how it’s always been.

    • Kevin Smith November 12, 2024

      Not just Thailand, buddy. Political intrigue with land issues is everywhere, just more intense here.

  3. Emma R. November 12, 2024

    Shouldn’t we sympathize with those families who might lose their homes if the deeds are annulled?

    • Tina November 12, 2024

      That’s a valid point, but laws exist for a reason. You can’t just let squatters have their way.

    • grower134 November 12, 2024

      There’s a difference between squatters and people who were legally given titles. The distinction is muddy here.

  4. Marcus November 12, 2024

    This feels like a classic case of political protectionism. The Chidchob family is too powerful to be touched.

    • Jen77 November 12, 2024

      Political dynasties everywhere have their way. Not surprising but still shameful!

  5. blackcat71 November 12, 2024

    I think it’s more complicated than just corruption. There’s history involved here, literally century-old maps!

    • Matt Eldridge November 12, 2024

      Maps or not, the current legal standards should prevail, right? History isn’t an excuse.

    • blackcat71 November 12, 2024

      Yes, Matt, but the maps were a basis for legal claims back then too. It frames today’s context.

  6. Hunter November 12, 2024

    All this drama, and yet no one’s talking about the environmental impact. We’re looking at thousands of rai.

    • Larry D November 12, 2024

      Good point. Nature always takes a backseat in these power plays.

    • Chloe V. November 12, 2024

      When politics and money are involved, environment usually doesn’t get much say.

  7. Kathy Nguyen November 12, 2024

    Songsak Thongsri sounds like he’s playing both sides for his benefit. How diplomatic can one get into muddy waters?

    • Mark J November 12, 2024

      It’s politics! Watch him come out clean while others do the dirty work.

  8. Jason C. November 12, 2024

    Justice Minister Tawee is right. Nobody should be above the Supreme Court’s ruling.

  9. Sally Mae November 12, 2024

    Are we ignoring the fact that only powerful people seem to ‘own’ so much land legally and effortlessly?

  10. Tanya L. November 12, 2024

    If this land steram has been ongoing for decades, then why haven’t they resolved it sooner?

  11. Emma R. November 12, 2024

    Tanya, it’s often common for such issues to go unresolved until it becomes too public to ignore.

  12. Joe November 12, 2024

    Feels like a stage play where everyone knows their part. Songsak’s role is especially intriguing.

  13. Charlie November 12, 2024

    Makes me wonder if there’ll be a change after all this spotlight. A new era for Thai land reform perhaps?

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