DSI arrested its alleged offender wanted on the arrest warrant for case of trespass on Khao Duang Nok forest, Ko Samui, Surat Thani

DSI arrested its alleged offender wanted on the arrest warrant for case of trespass on Khao Duang Nok forest, Ko Samui, Surat Thani

       The Surveillance and Intelligence Division of the DSI hunted, pursued, and arrested Mr. Suthep Wangsdan, the alleged offender in the special case no.2/2564 (pursuant to the arrest warrant of the Criminal Court no. 1093/2564 for the offence of holding, possessing, clearing, reclaiming, or burning a forest for oneself or other persons) at Nong Sarai Subdistrict, Don Chedi District, Suphan Buri Province. Before bringing him to the special case inquiry official for prosecution.

       The aforementioned case is that from 2005 to 2007 consecutively, Mr. Suthep Wangsdan (the alleged offender), and others held, possessed, reclaimed and destroyed the hill and virgin forest area of 96 rai around Khao Duang Nok, Village No. 4, Bophut Sub-district, Ko Samui District, Surat Thani Province by employing workers with backhoe loaders to adjust the area for constructing roads around the plot of land, by presenting 4 documents of the Land Possession Notice Form (S.K.1) of the other plot of land with a total area of 26-3-20 rai as evidence of the plot of land where crime committed. The alleged offender also cooperated with the officer of the Surat Thani Provincial Land Office, Ko Samui Branch to use the said 4 documents of the S.K.1 as evidence for illegally issuing the certificate of title no. 26493, Bophut Sub-district, Ko Samui District, Surat Thani Province with a total area of 96-3-84 rai. Besides, the alleged offender and the others jointly established and registered a company for holding and possessing the said land in the name of the legal entity. Subsequently, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) inquired the land officers for the offence of wrongfully performing duties by issuing the certificate of title illegally and submitted the inquiry file to the public prosecutor for prosecution against the corrupt officers. For the offence of holding, possessing, clearing, reclaiming, or burning a forest for oneself or other persons, the NACC assigned the DSI to handle it by accepting this case as its special case no.2/2564. The Criminal Court issued the arrest warrant no. 1093/2564 against Mr. Suthep Wangsdan for the offence of holding, possessing, clearing, reclaiming, or burning a forest for oneself or other persons leading to the aforesaid arrest. The special case inquiry official team notified the arrested person of the allegations, then brought him to the Criminal Court for detention. For the title certificate unlawfully issued, the Department of Lands inspected and issued its order no. 1264/2550 dated April 5, 2007 to revoke the certificate of title no. 26493, Bophut Sub-district, Ko Samui District, Surat Thani Province.

       Handling this case is in accordance with the mission of the DSI and the policies of its executives that prioritize the protection of the country's natural resources as the State interest by striving to dedicate all resources and efforts to maintain natural resources security and giving priority to solving public land trespass problems for reclaiming the State forest from being held and possessed by individuals back as a national treasure and for protecting the forest and land resources as important national resources for the next generation.

Dated September 2, 2021