Yongyuth gets 2 years in jail over land deal

THE CENTRAL Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases yesterday sentenced former Pheu Thai leader Yongyuth Wichaidit to two years in jail for abusing his authority to help the Alpine Golf Club obtain two plots of temple land in Pathum Thani province.
The court found Yongyuth guilty of abusing his authority as the then deputy permanent secretary of the Interior Ministry, when he revoked an order made by the Land Department in 2002 about the temple land. It ruled that he revoked the order to help Alpine Real Estate Co Ltd and Golf and Sport Club Co Ltd unlawfully obtain the land.
Yongyuth’s eyes reddened upon hearing the court’s verdict yesterday. He refused to give any interview to media. 
As of press time, Yongyuth is released on Bt500,000 bail, with travel restrictions, pending his appeal to the Appeals Court. 
This case was filed against him by the National Anti-Corruption Commission last year.
The court ruled it was clear that the original owner of the land plots, Nuam Chamnanchartsakda, made a will to donate the two plots to the Thammikaram Worawiharn Temple.
In her 1969 will, Nuam donated the plots - measuring 148 hectares in total – to the temple. But a foundation, which has stepped in as her will executor, sold her land plots to to Alpine Real Estate and the Alpine Golf and Sports Club for Bt142 million. On that same day, these firms could mortgage those plots at Bt220million.
The companies - owned by family and friends of veteran politician Snoh Thienthong, deputy interior minister in charge of the Land Department at that time - developed the land including the golf course. 
The assets were reportedly later sold to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra’s family at Bt500million in 1998. 
In 2001, the Land Department issued an order to revoke the transfer of the land to the companies on the grounds that the ownership transfer was illegal.
But about 290 people appealed against the Land Department’s order, because they were adversely affected by it. Some are buyers of houses that have been built of the land plots. 
Yongyuth then rescinded the order of the Land Department chief.
The court yesterday ruled that Nuam stated in her will that the land was to go to the temple and not the foundation. 
The court said the temple had already registered the land as monastic land and had let people lease the plots for rice farming, showing that the temple had obtained ownership of the land.
The court added that Nuam’s will took effect immediately after her death. As a result, the Land Department chief’s order to prohibit the transfer of monastic land to the companies was valid.
The court ruled that Yongyuth intended to omit that fact and to interpret the law in favour of the companies, so he abused his authority to cause damage to the temple and to Buddhism.
Snoh has been off the hook because the stature of limitations for his alleged offences expired, before his case was brought to the court.