THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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Premchai’s sisters surrender over alleged Loei land encroachment

Premchai’s sisters surrender over alleged Loei land encroachment

THREE SISTERS of construction tycoon Premchai Karnasutra, who is facing legal action over alleged poaching, turned themselves in to police yesterday to face charges of forest encroachment.

Damages from the alleged encroachment, which spans more than 6,000 rai (960 hectares) in Loei province, are estimated at about Bt680 million. 
Bhilaijit Rerngpittaya, 68, Nijaporn Charanachitta, 67, and Orn-aim Terdprawat, 65, are directors of CPK International, which has occupied the Loei plots. 
Premchai is a director without signatory power. 
The three sisters surrendered themselves to the National Police Office’s Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division. 
“The accused have admitted that their firm has occupied all the plots. But they claimed they simply inherited what their father had left behind,” Deputy National Police Commissioner Pol General Srivara Ransibrahamanakul said.
 Officials would now go ahead with legal proceedings and revoke any land-right documents for the plots, he added.
According to Loei Governor Chaiwat Chuenkosum, any land-right documents for the plots must be revoked in line with the 1941 Forest Act. 
“After the act was introduced, no one can occupy them,” Chaiwat said. 
Nearly 200 people showed up at the Loei Provincial Hall yesterday morning to express moral support for Chaiwat, who played a role in bringing forward the cases against Premchai’s siblings. 
The accused are from one of the country’s richest families. 
Chaiwat had previously accompanied Srivara and officials on a survey of various plots in Loei after receiving a complaint of alleged encroachment. As a result of the survey, authorities filed complaints against CPK International and its directors.
  Complaints filed against trio of sisters
1.     Feb 13: Encroachment on 6,215 rai in Loei’s Phu Rua and Dan Sai districts
Damages: Bt621.5 million
2.     Feb 13: Encroachment on six rai in Loei’s Phu Rua district
Damages: Bt600,000
3.     Feb 21: Encroachment on 16 rai
Damages: Bt1.6 million
4.     Feb 23: Encroachment on 293 rai in Phu Rua district 
Damages: Bt24.9 million
5.     Mar 23: Encroachment on 117 rai in Dan Sai district
Damages: Bt8.3 million
6.     Apr 24, 2018: Encroachment on 253 rai in Phu Rua 
Damages: Bt23.2 million

 
 

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