Bangkok: Mr. Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, a party-list MP for the Prachachon Party, has raised concerns over the issuance of a land title deed for the Thames Valley Khao Yai Hotel, claiming it to be illegal due to its location in a watershed area. He has appealed to the Prime Minister and the Land Department, stating that the 1971 Cabinet resolution, which identified the area as the headwaters of a stream, cannot be overridden by subsequent resolutions from the Land Reform Committee.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Wiroj expressed his dissatisfaction during the no-confidence debate, pointing out that he had not received a response from Prime Minister Ms. Paethongtarn Shinawatra regarding the hotel's land ownership. Instead, the explanation was provided by Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, the Minister of Social Development and Human Security, who cited the Revolutionary Council Announcement of 1972. However, Mr. Wiroj argued that this announcement did not nullify the 1971 Cabinet resolution, which designated the area as a watershed.
The controversy stems from the Revolutionary Council's announcement, which did not revoke the watershed designation established by the 1971 Cabinet resolution. In 2024, the NACC committee of the House of Representatives provided a map indicating that the land remains classified as a watershed area. Under Ministerial Regulation No. 43, Section 14(5) of the Land Code, title deeds cannot be issued for such land. Mr. Wiroj questioned the authority of the National Land Reform Committee's resolution to override the 1971 Cabinet resolution, emphasizing the need for clarity from the Land Department regarding the legality and legitimacy of the title deed issuance.
The ongoing dispute highlights the tension between national land reform policies and existing legal frameworks. Mr. Wiroj has called on the media to scrutinize the resolutions of the National Land Reform Committee, particularly the Land Department's stance on ownership rights. He emphasized that the land in question grants only possession rights, not ownership, and reiterated that the issuance of a title deed remains contentious. The Prime Minister has yet to address these concerns publicly and provide a comprehensive explanation to the House of Representatives.