Phuket MP presses probe into Freedom Beach land document scandal

Thailand's Royal Forest Department has confirmed that two former officials were dismissed over the illegal issuance of land title deeds linked to Freedom Beach in Phuket, after a Phuket MP raised questions in Parliament about the long-running case.

The department issued an open letter on Thursday, a day after MP Chalermpong raised the matter in Parliament, where he questioned why a former senior forestry official had allegedly avoided criminal prosecution for more than a decade while continuing to receive a government pension.

In its response, the Royal Forest Department rejected claims that the former official was still receiving pension payments. It said two former officials, identified only as Mr A and Mr P, had been dismissed from service for their involvement in the illegal issuance of land documents tied to Freedom Beach in Phuket and Koh Kradan in Trang.

The department said the dismissals had been upheld by final judgments of the Supreme Administrative Court. It added that criminal proceedings were being handled by the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

The Royal Forest Department also denied reports that one of the former officials continued to receive a monthly pension, saying civil servants dismissed for wrongdoing are not entitled to pension payments under the Civil Servant Pension Act.

In an online response, Chalermpong thanked the department's director-general for issuing a clarification within one day of his parliamentary remarks and described the explanation as transparent and straightforward.

However, he said another former senior official was also implicated in the case. Chalermpong identified the person only as Mr. Wi..., and said the retired official had served as Deputy Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources.

He said that official fell outside the authority of the Royal Forest Department director-general and called on the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment and the ministry's permanent secretary to publicly clarify whether the individual was still receiving a pension and to provide an update on the criminal case.

In his parliamentary remarks, Chalermpong said the case involved allegations that aerial photographs had been falsified to support the illegal issuance of land title deeds at Freedom Beach and Koh Kradan in Hat Chao Mai National Park in Trang.

He also urged anti-corruption agencies, including the National Anti-Corruption Commission and the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission, to accelerate their investigations.