Thaksin calls for legal clarity in Alpine Golf Course land dispute

Commenting on the so-called revocation of the sale of 924 rai of temple land to the Alpine Golf Course, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said the case should be handled strictly in line with law. 

He was referring to an order signed on January 16 by the Interior Ministry’s deputy permanent secretary Chamnarnwit Terat calling on the Land Department to revoke the sale. However, the department’s director-general Pornpoth Penpas reportedly said that he had not received the order.

Thaksin, meanwhile, said on Monday that all actions on the case should adhere to legal regulations and ensure equal application of the law. He also said that all affected parties have the right to take legal action. 

As for the 7.7 billion baht appraised value of the land, which could potentially be awarded to the Alpine Golf Course owners – primarily the Shinawatra family – if there is a lawsuit, Thaksin said the Land Department will not have to take the funds from the government coffers. 

He said that public funds are different from private funds, and the main issue is identifying the transferee. If the Land Department is found to be the transferee, then it must address any irregularities in the original transfer and be accountable for them. 

As for whether the temple could reclaim the property, Thaksin said it would be up to the temple to decide if it wants to sell or lease the land to compensate the owners of Alpine Golf Course. 

Thaksin explained that Alpine had not directly bought the land, but was a secondary buyer, adding that his clan is ready for any potential outcome. “Some have accused us of deceiving the temple, but we are not part of the initial transaction. We acquired the property later,” he said. 

The land in question was originally owned by Wat Thammikaram in Pathum Thani. Thaksin purchased it in 1997 for 500 million baht from ex-agriculture minister Chucheep Harnsawat and Uraiwan Thienthong, the wife of late Snoh Thienthong. Chucheep and Uraiwan bought the land from the temple in 1990 for just 130 million baht.