Lite Beer Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Elite 'grabbed land meant for poor farmers' Piyanuch Thamnukasetchai, The Nation on Sunday NAKHON RATCHASIMA: -- The Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) has found that high-ranking officials, families of the elite and wealthy businessmen own land plots in Lamtakong settlement in Nakhon Ratchasima's Pak Chong district, which was meant to be allotted to poor farmers. PACC secretary-general Dussadee Arayawut said yesterday the agency conducted a random check on land ownership in the Lamtakong land settlement after complaints of irregularities. It found that most people who had been given plots weren't qualified because they were not farmers affected by the construction of Lamtakong Dam. Resort-style homes had been built on the land and the owners had not done any farming there. The anti-graft agency had asked the Cooperative Promotion Department to check the qualifications of land recipients and suspend further allocations. Land should be seized from those who did not qualify for the scheme. Other land settlements would also be checked to prevent a repeat of the scenario where the rich get free land and the poor end up encroaching on forests. A source said a random check of 50 plots found a number of big businessmen and high-ranking officials owned land in the Lamtakong settlement. Only poor farmers without land and those affected by the Lamtakong Dam, including those who had lived there earlier, were entitled to get free land for settlement. Corrupt officials were believed to have overlooked the qualification for recipients. "Members of the Lamtakong land resettlement may have given false statements about their income and the officials intentionally failed to check their qualifications even though they could have easily cross-checked with the social security and company data base, the source said. People qualified for the scheme were eligible to receive five rai of land in the first year and another five rai in the second year if they provided evidence they would use the land for agriculture. The maximum land they can receive is 20 rai. "Land recipients normally hire workers to grow tapioca and take pictures of the plantation to the office to claim the maximum 20 rai. They then build a house and register their housing registration as required by the rules,'' he said. There are up to 10,000 members in land settlements. Among them are big and famous family names such as Tangsupanit, Watcharapai, Chirathiwat, Sawatdiwat, Aksaranuwat, Ruangkrittaya, Chakkapak, Sutabutr, Panitchakul, and Satirabutr. -- The Nation 2012-09-16 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post DeepInTheForest Posted September 16, 2012 Popular Post Share Posted September 16, 2012 (edited) Despicable, is it not. Land rights should be included when listing the major global problems. Indigenous or other people who have lived in a place for centuries can often be displaced because they do not have "legal title" to their land. India and South and Central America face similar dilemmas. Something to keep in mind... especially when gripes about native land practices surface. In many cases, they merit consideration, but a fair-minded person should embrace the wider picture as well. There is a lot of land-grabbing going on worldwide. Edited September 16, 2012 by DeepInTheForest 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post edwinchester Posted September 16, 2012 Popular Post Share Posted September 16, 2012 What's the point of being "elite" if you can't trample all over poor people? 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post BrianCR Posted September 16, 2012 Popular Post Share Posted September 16, 2012 What's the point of being "elite" if you can't trample all over poor people? Hear, hear, and trample over the land that they could have owned as well - at least Thaksin bought his land (even at reduced price) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moe666 Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Is this a suprise only the lack of certain names heheh 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucidLucifer Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 What's the point of being "elite" if you can't trample all over poor people? Exactly. It is the ability to do such things that makes them 'elite'........and scumbags. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post fareastguy Posted September 16, 2012 Popular Post Share Posted September 16, 2012 This type of corruption will only stop when the order from the very top say's enough is enough, and that's not likely to happen any time soon. Every country has a culture of corruption to some degree, Thailand takes it to a whole new level where the already rich & famous think it is their god given right to steal more from those that have nothing, only to fill their already bulging pockets !! How they stand in front of the Buddha & put their hands up in innocence I do not know, the depth of deceit is mind blowing !! T.I.T 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Payboy Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 What's the next headline? Elite orders latte at Starbucks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratcatcher Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 What's the point of being "elite" if you can't trample all over poor people? What's the point of being "elite" if you can't trample all over poor people? Hear, hear, and trample over the land that they could have owned as well - at least Thaksin bought his land (even at reduced price) Yes, they say the Alpine Golf Course land was a good deal for sure. The Shinawatras are merely members of that great team "Thailand Elite". Motto "We want it all and we want it NOW!" 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonclark Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 What's the point of being "elite" if you can't trample all over poor people? Such is the Thai system of patronage that, this type of behaviour is seen as acceptable practice . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noitom Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 The poor farmers were probably paid a small amount of money - very , very small, to back away from any potential legal claim on the chanote. At the time, the farmers were happy to get the small amount of money and party hardy for a few days and big shot it in the ban. The elite should be ashamed of themselves for conning these poor folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fokus Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Sack Em All 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orac Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 I wonder if this is where Pin Chakkaphak is lying low given his recent return to Thailand. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Takeover-king-Pin-ends-exile-back-in-Bangkok-30189378.html Also note the surname of a current government minister on this list as well as one from the previous government - hopefully the politics can be kept out of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovetotravel Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 This type of corruption will only stop when the order from the very top say's enough is enough, and that's not likely to happen any time soon. Every country has a culture of corruption to some degree, Thailand takes it to a whole new level where the already rich & famous think it is their god given right to steal more from those that have nothing, only to fill their already bulging pockets !! How they stand in front of the Buddha & put their hands up in innocence I do not know, the depth of deceit is mind blowing !! T.I.T I think Thailand is out done by many other developing countries. Russia, China, etc. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. P.S. I know a friend who's good friend is having his resorts torn down. It's a business dispute that has caused it. Pissed off the wrong person. I think they are using this as an excuse to go after people they are unhappy with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marshbags Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 (edited) What's the point of being "elite" if you can't trample all over poor people? Hear, hear, and trample over the land that they could have owned as well - at least Thaksin bought his land (even at reduced price) Elitism at it,s worst and sadly the poor who get poorer and many others who gain / feed of these evil self only pirana are their own worst enemies via their approval and acceptance of the horrendous status quo that exists in Thailand. Nothing personal to either of you of course but Thaksin never owned the land due to certain unlawful indiscretions and misuse of power ect. ect. to get it at a generously reduced rate. As for buying it, the origin of the money used to illegally purchase the land and from were it came from is very questionable indeed. marshbags Edited September 16, 2012 by marshbags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
culicine Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 This type of corruption will only stop when the order from the very top say's enough is enough, and that's not likely to happen any time soon. Every country has a culture of corruption to some degree, Thailand takes it to a whole new level where the already rich & famous think it is their god given right to steal more from those that have nothing, only to fill their already bulging pockets !! How they stand in front of the Buddha & put their hands up in innocence I do not know, the depth of deceit is mind blowing !! T.I.T Because most Thais are "Thai" before they are "Buddhist". Also, let's call them "wealthy" before we call them "elite". Elite conjures up ideas that the land grabbers are yellow shirts. I think we can all agree that this is not necessarily the case. Corruption by land officials is the root of this, and most other problems in this country. All these officials should be fired and lose their pensions. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyLew Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Say it isn't so Poor people being neglected and taken advantage of ... no way ... not in Thailand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanuman2543 Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 What's the point of being "elite" if you can't trample all over poor people? Such is the Thai system of patronage that, this type of behaviour is seen as acceptable practice . Sad, but so very true Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notstupid30 Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 What's the next headline? Elite orders latte at Starbucks? +1 ROFL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEL1 Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 "Only poor farmers without land and those affected by the Lamtakong Dam, including those who had lived there earlier, were entitled to get free land for settlement. Corrupt officials were believed to have overlooked the qualification for recipients." 'believed to have overlooked the qualification for recipients' ?? So they thought the land was a Governmental freebie for them, for some reason? Amazing Thailand !! -mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AleG Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Yes, they say the Alpine Golf Course land was a good deal for sure. The Shinawatras are merely members of that great team "Thailand Elite". Motto "We want it all and we want it NOW!" Thailand's Elite anthem: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johna Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 and how would this compare to the the land enclosure's in 18th century Britain, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaltsc Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 and how would this compare to the the land enclosure's in 18th century Britain, OK...Let me point out the obvious....This is the 21st Century, not the 18th. Thailand continues to tell the world they are a modern nation and worthy of Western investment. However, some things have not changed in hundreds of years. One of them being the powerful elite screwing the 'serfs' (in more ways than one). So, Thailand either has to clean up its act (don't hold your breath) or just admit that it is unable to usher a significant part of its culture into the 21st century. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zakk9 Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Why is rich Bangkok people often referred to as "Elite". If they are "Elite", every single bar girl in Pattaya is Mother Teresa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbamboo Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Sack Em All Unfortunately it is Khun Dusadee who is being sacked by the elite he is threatening to expose. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkady Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 The poor farmers were probably paid a small amount of money - very , very small, to back away from any potential legal claim on the chanote. At the time, the farmers were happy to get the small amount of money and party hardy for a few days and big shot it in the ban. The elite should be ashamed of themselves for conning these poor folks. The carrot is probably a trifling some of money, if anything at all, and the stick is to be beaten up or shot dead by government officials, if they make a fuss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Roadman Posted September 16, 2012 Popular Post Share Posted September 16, 2012 What's the point of being "elite" if you can't trample all over poor people? Hear, hear, and trample over the land that they could have owned as well - at least Thaksin bought his land (even at reduced price) The Shinawatra's have been at the front of some of the more dire land thief's as well. On 15 December 1989 a teacher Nid Chaiwanna at Ban Huaykaew School in Chaingmai was shot dead by professional gunman as he was leading a group in protest at The Forestry Department' granting of 235 rai to Mrs. Pramern Shinawatra. So much for the Shinawatra's being for the poor Esarn people - they are just as greedy to get all the land they can as well. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaka Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 This type of corruption will only stop when the order from the very top say's enough is enough, and that's not likely to happen any time soon. Every country has a culture of corruption to some degree, Thailand takes it to a whole new level where the already rich & famous think it is their god given right to steal more from those that have nothing, only to fill their already bulging pockets !! How they stand in front of the Buddha & put their hands up in innocence I do not know, the depth of deceit is mind blowing !! T.I.T Thailand of today reminds me of France in mids 1700. The gentry allowed themselves anything and the farmers and other poor people had no rights at all. A nobleman could kill a peasant without any repercussion whatsoever. The difference today is that in France the king was at the top of this which is not the case in Thailand. But eventually the people in France had enough and on July 14th 1789 everything changed. It is not impossible that a similar event may occur in Thailand if the present situation is allowed to continue or even expand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaspercat Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 This type of corruption will only stop when the order from the very top say's enough is enough, and that's not likely to happen any time soon.Every country has a culture of corruption to some degree, Thailand takes it to a whole new level where the already rich & famous think it is their god given right to steal more from those that have nothing, only to fill their already bulging pockets !! How they stand in front of the Buddha & put their hands up in innocence I do not know, the depth of deceit is mind blowing !! T.I.T You really have no idea? According to many Buddhist, being born rich means you have good Khama. It's a reward. There's nothing sinful to be wealthy. Go ask any Thai! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWalkingMan Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 I heard this line on either a crime show or a radio drama... "Those who has, gets." The people with all the money/power/prestige etc., pretty much get whatever they want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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