National reforms are slowly bringing about change, especially in areas where critics point to problems on a national scale such as justice and natural resource management.
The government is trying to crush those who have encroached on natural resources and public spaces — including vendors illegally occupying footpaths and beachfront areas.
Paiboon: No compromise over Khai Yai
The campaign is being tackled on many levels, and the latest target is prominent businessman Phaiwong Techanarong, who owns the golf course and racetrack known as Bonanza Khao Yai. The Bonanza empire spans a vast area and it is where the red shirts have held mass gatherings and concerts on several occasions.
The government consistently denies it is singling out for persecution businesses that have any connection to the red-shirt movement. It insists legal action against encroachers is backed up by proper evidence.
The Justice Ministry says that in the Bonanza Khao Yai case, the law has been broken as the facility’s racetrack and golf course are built on forest land. And Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya says even if the encroached land is handed back to the state, it does not change the fact that an offence has occurred. Gen Paiboon said there can be no negotiating after reporters asked him whether anyone had approached him to “clear up” the issue. He says there is nothing to settle, no one is above the law and no leading figure would dare to ask him to overlook a legal violation. In the Bonanza Khao Yai investigation, a task force in charge of probing land encroachment raided a golf course and nearby racetrack that were illegally built on 151 rai of forest land in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Chong district.
The raid was led by deputy permanent secretary for justice, Dussadee Arayawuth, and the investigators maintained the land was illegally usurped by Bonanza Golf and Country Club Co which then erected building structures on it.
The on-site investigation was carried out by officials under the Justice Ministry as well as from the 2nd Army, the Royal Forestry Department (RFD), the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI).
It was reported the investigation was prompted by complaints of alleged forest encroachment filed by local residents. Mr Phaiwong is the registered owner of the golf course and racetrack.
The golf course, the race circuit and other buildings were constructed on land issued with illegal title deeds. Of the 151 rai the project covers, a block of 72 rai has Sor Por Kor deeds, 32 rai have forest reserve deeds and 47 rai use Nor Sor 3 Kor deeds.
The PACC says it has pressed charges of violating the Forest Act against an executive of the company which manages the circuit.
Satellite images reveal the encroachment by Bonanza Khao Yai began in 1974. Some of the land on which the racetrack was built is designated for public use, while the rest is part of Khao Siad — a national forest reserve.
The RFD is in the process of lodging a formal complaint with police over the encroachment and has petitioned the DSI to investigate whether influential figures are involved.
Four in line for top cop
Before he retires this year, national police chief, Somyot Pumpunmuang, will have to nominate one of his deputies as his successor. That will need to be done by the end of August.
Last year, Pol Gen Somyot, a deputy national police chief at the time, was in a neck-and-neck race with two other deputy national police chiefs favoured for the top police job — Pol Gen Ake Angsananont and Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen.
Pongsapat: Remains in favour
Pol Gen Somyot’s commitment to working with the military regime led by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) eventually earned him the top post in the police force over his two rivals.
The disappointment at missing out on the job was particularly acute for Pol Gen Ake, who was widely tipped for the top police post, given that he was the most senior deputy national police chief at the time.
What was then purported to be a pact between Pol Gen Somyot, Pol Gen Ake and the NCPO that Pol Gen Ake would take the post of police chief after Pol Gen Somyot retires now seems to be only hearsay.
Pol Gen Ake has been given no major assignments compared to Pol Gen Pongsapat who has been put in charge of significant operations.
The NCPO may not like Pol Gen Pongsapat because of his ties to the Pheu Thai Party. He once stood for Bangkok governor under Pheu Thai’s banner.
Still, Pol Gen Pongsapat is regarded as one of the top candidates for police chief this year. He was a Class 15 classmate of Pol Gen Somyot and Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School.
Pol Gen Pongsapat and Pol Gen Somyot were also from Class 31 at the Royal Police Cadet Academy.
So when Pol Gen Somyot submits the nomination for new police chief to the Board of the Royal Thai Police for endorsement, it seems Pol Gen Pongsapat stands a better chance than any candidate.
Under these circumstances, this could mean Pol Gen Ake staying on as deputy national chief and having zero chance of reaching the top spot before his mandatory retirement next year.
All Pol Gen Pongsapat has to do is to prove his worth and work hard to win the trust of the NCPO. Observers believe this should not be a problem for him due to his “adaptability”.
But Pol Gen Pongsapat will face challenges from two other deputy national police chiefs who are in the running — Pol Gen Chalermkiat Sriworakhan and Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda. Both have four more years of police service before they retire in 2019.
Pol Gen Chalermkiat is the son-in-law of former national police chief Pracha Promnok, whose influence still lingers in the police force.
Pol Gen Chalermkiat also has the backing of Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Sriwara Rangsiphramanakul, who is the favourite subordinate of Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, deputy prime minister in charge of national security.
As for Pol Gen Chakthip, he has the trust of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha as they both worked at the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation to deal with red-shirt protesters in 2010.
Pol Gen Chakthip is also known to have close ties with the former leader of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee Suthep Thaugsuban, who has now become a monk.
If Pol Gen Pongsapat is named as the new national police chief, the next race is certain to be between Pol Gen Chalermkiat and Pol Gen Chakthip — and it will be intense.
Not such a tight ship
Discontent flows through the corridors of the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, with some senior bureaucrats said to be unhappy about the appointments of certain deputy heads of departments.
Minister Dapong Rattanasuwan has been put on the spot after working in relative obscurity since taking office seven months ago.
Dapong: Uneasy environment
Gen Dapong has been focusing hard on the government’s policy of allocating land to the poor. The first allocation of more than 7,000 rai was distributed in tambon Mae Ta in Mae On district, in Chiang Mai soon after he was sworn in.
He has his hands full also with other priorities, including putting a stop to Thailand’s role as a centre for the illegal trade in African ivory after threats of trade sanctions by Cites.
Gen Dapong has been juggling his time between intense efforts to reclaim forest land from illegal possession and trying to solve the perennial problem of heavy haze pollution in 10 provinces in the North.
Just when he didn’t need it, another hot potato landed in his lap. A decision is needed to execute a court order on the compensation to be paid to the consortium which built the controversial Klong Dan waste water treatment project in Samut Prakan. The Supreme Administration Court has ordered the department to pay the company more than 9 billion baht.
Gen Dapong insists negotiations must be concluded on trying to bargain down the compensation figure. However, the longer the payment is delayed, the more interest will accrue and the greater the chance is of the ministry ending up paying even more.
The general must also clear any doubts over whether the negotiations are above board and fair to the government. It could be a time bomb if he lets the issue fester for too long.
Although Gen Dapong appears to be in control of the ministry, rumours have circulated about an uneasy working relationship between him and permanent secretary Mingquan Wichayarangsaridh. She once posted a message on her personal chat line saying she might not be good at work, but at least she doesn’t cheat, according to a source.
It is speculated that moves are afoot to replace her.
The appointments of senior officials to deputy chief posts at major departments has been delayed for more than two months, sparking speculation of behind the scenes jockeying.
Samak Donnapee, chief of the National Parks Office of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, took to his Facebook page to voice concerns about irregularities in the planned appointment of certain individuals.
A source said that might imply that some appointments may be unfair.
The media jumped on Mr Samak’s message. It was reported that a bouquet of flowers was prepared by someone high up to give to the minister as a token of apology.
Gen Dapong called an urgent press conference to explain the situation and put the blame on poor communication between the department chief and Mr Samak.
He ordered the permanent secretary and the department chief to find a way to settle the matter.
After Mr Samak posted the message, the source said a person groomed for a key post lost the chance to be promoted.
In the meantime, Gen Dapong is learning a thing or two about media influence. Previously, he had said he was quite happy with the reporters covering the ministry. But he also noted there had been questions which irked him.
Now he has become aware that he needs a media specialist to help him handle news reports about the ministry which might reflect on him personally.
Gen Dapong has vowed to fight corruption in the ministry and he needs to back that up with deeds, said the source. In practice, though, that might not be quite so easy.
