Nine linked to land acquisition scam

Pol Lt-Gen Suthep Thammarak, assistant national police chief in charge of the investigation, said the executives could be charged with defrauding the state.

The summons for questioning were issued yesterday after police received the names from the Pollution Control Department, owner of the wastewater treatment scheme.

Pol Lt-Gen Suthep said the results of the questioning would help police build a separate case against state officials and politicians implicated in the scheme. Rather than going to the prosecution, the case against state authorities and politicians will go to the National Counter Corruption Commission.

However, the Pollution Control Department had yet to give the names of this group, he said.

The executives are accused of being involved in a scam to sell public land to the state to build the scheme.

Some held shares in firms that were involved in acquiring the land.

The 2,000-rai plot was acquired illegally and sold to the state at an inflated price.

Pol Lt-Gen Suthep said the nine would be charged with selling land with fraudulently-issued ownership documents.

The group would also be charged with falsely stating that its joint venture would include Northwest Water International Co, a wastewater treatment company.

That promise persuaded the Pollution Control Department to award the contract.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Praphat Panyachartrak said that the case against state authorities and politicians were not ready yet.

“Evidence is incomplete. But I can say that when the next summons are issued, they will be served against politicians and state officials involved,” he said.

The nine executives are Sangworn Liptapallop of Prayoonvisava Engineering Co Ltd, Siroj  Wongsirojkul of Si Sang Karn Yotah (1979), Nibhon Kosaipollakul of Krung Thon Engineers Co Ltd, Roy Issaraporn Chutapa of Gateway Development Co Ltd, Charlie Nutapa of Klong Dan Marine and Fishery Co, Chayanat Osatanukroh of Klong Dan Marine and Fishery Co, Boonsri Pinkayan of Palm Beach Development Co, Kokwa O-yang of Gateway Development Co Ltd, and Pitsanu Chawananan, of Vichitbhan Construction Co Ltd.