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.
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.
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.
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.
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.