SRT sues to revoke land deeds of Newin’s wife, firm linked to Chidchob family

SRT takes legal action over Khao Kradong land dispute

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) on Tuesday filed a civil lawsuit seeking the revocation of two land deeds that allegedly encroach on state-owned railway land in Buri Ram’s Khao Kradong area.

The case names Silachai Buriram (1991) Co Ltd and Karuna Chidchob, wife of Buri Ram political heavyweight Newin Chidchob, as defendants. The lawsuit, filed with the Buri Ram Civil Court, seeks to revoke land deeds Nos. 3466 and 8564, which the SRT claims were unlawfully issued by the Land Department.

Company tied to Chidchob family network

Silachai Buriram (1991) Co Ltd is widely recognised as a key business in the Chidchob family network. The firm, which operates a stone quarrying business, has been linked to the family since the era of Chai Chidchob, Newin’s late father.

Public records, including a Constitutional Court ruling, indicate that Saksayam Chidchob previously served as a company director with signing authority before resigning in 2019.

Legal basis and court precedents

According to the SRT, the two land deeds were unlawfully issued because the plots fall within railway land owned by the state enterprise. The SRT cited multiple court rulings—including decisions by the Supreme Court, the Appeal Court Region 3, and the Supreme Administrative Court—which confirmed that land in the Khao Kradong area belongs to the SRT and must be used for public purposes.

The courts also ruled that the Land Department has no authority to issue private land deeds in the area.

Ministerial order prompted legal move

On September 29, SRT governor Veeris Ammarapala signed an order authorising the agency’s Legal Department to file lawsuits to revoke land deeds overlapping SRT land.

This move followed a directive from the transport minister under the Pheu Thai-led government in July and August, instructing the SRT to expedite legal action against those occupying its Khao Kradong land.

Previous court and administrative actions

On March 30 2023, the Central Administrative Court ordered the Land Department’s director-general to verify the boundaries of SRT’s Khao Kradong land. Despite repeated court rulings, however, the Land Department has taken no significant action, according to the SRT.

The SRT also revealed that on March 21, it requested the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) to represent it in legal proceedings, but received no response. Facing a statute of limitations deadline, the SRT decided to proceed independently with the civil lawsuit.

SRT cites Land Code for enforcement powers

The SRT argued that the Land Department should have acted earlier under Article 61 of the Land Code, which empowers the department to revoke unlawfully issued ownership documents without waiting for a complaint from another agency.