Chanthaburi: The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has found Pol. Lt. Col. Thanapat guilty in the Khao Soi Dao land ownership case and will forward the case to the Supreme Court for a ruling.
According to Thai News Agency, the NACC has determined that former Chanthaburi MP Pol. Lt. Col. Thanapat Kittiwongsa illegally occupied land within the Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Sanctuary without meeting the legal requirements. The case will be escalated to the Supreme Court for a definitive ruling on serious ethical violations.
Mr. Surapong Intarathaworn, Secretary-General and spokesperson for the NACC, confirmed that the commission found Thanapat guilty of misconduct while serving as a Member of Parliament for Chanthaburi Province. He was accused of unlawfully possessing three plots of land totaling 94-1-59 rai (approximately 36.5 acres) within the Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Sanctuary.
The investigation revealed that in 2014, Thanapat purchased the land from the previous occupants and utilized it for cultivating longan orchards and constructing a house, where he applied for a house number. Despite holding office as an MP since March 24, 2019, he continued to occupy the land, claiming it was his spouse's property. However, a local survey in May 2020 found his son falsely presenting as the land's owner, even though none of them legally qualified to reside or cultivate the land.
The NACC found Thanapat's actions constitute a serious breach of ethical standards, violating the 2018 Code of Ethics for Judges and holders of positions in independent organizations. As a result, the case will be forwarded to the Supreme Court for a ruling under the 2018 Act on Prevention and Suppression of Corruption.