Thailand Deputy PM’s Family Faces Golf Course Land Grab Probe
Thailand’s political landscape is once again embroiled in a land controversy, this time involving Deputy Prime Minister and Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul. The controversy centers on the Rancho Charnvee Resort & Country Club, a golf course owned by Mr. Anutin’s family in Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima province. Allegations suggest the property may encroach on land designated for agricultural reform, prompting a planned investigation by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives.
Announced on February 14, 2025, this probe follows a broader investigation into the alleged illegal expansion of the Lam Takong self-help settlement project in Nakhon Ratchasima. Thanadol Suwannarit, an advisor to the agriculture minister and chair of the Agricultural Land Reform Office (ALRO) land use investigation committee, revealed that the initial investigation uncovered encroachments on various protected areas, including forest reserves, national park land, and ALRO land reform areas. These areas, intended for agricultural development and distribution to farmers, are subject to specific ownership and usage regulations.
Mr. Suwannarit explained a potential legal loophole exploited by the settlement project: initial land rights issued to members can, after five years, be converted into full land title deeds. This process, he suggests, may have facilitated the irregular acquisition of land in the disputed area—a sprawling 40,000-rai plot encompassing eight sub-districts at the foot of Khao Yai National Park. This area includes the golf course owned by Mr. Anutin’s family and a hotel owned by an unnamed political lobbyist, both possessing legal land rights documents. The ministry aims to scrutinize how these documents were obtained.
Mr. Anutin vehemently denies any wrongdoing, claiming the allegations are politically motivated. He insists the golf course is a long-standing family business with land title deeds and legal paperwork dating back decades. He expressed willingness to cooperate with the investigation and provide all necessary documentation, describing the probe as «unsportsmanlike.» This land dispute is not isolated but the latest in a series of controversies surrounding land ownership by influential politicians within Thailand’s governing coalition.
The involvement of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, controlled by the Kla Dharma Party, adds a layer of political intrigue. The party’s most influential figure, Thamanat Prompow, has a complex political history, having been expelled from the government after falling out of favor with Thaksin Shinawatra, the de facto leader of the Pheu Thai Party. This fuels speculation that the investigation may be politically motivated, especially given recent actions by the Interior Ministry, controlled by Mr. Anutin’s party. The ministry recently revoked the land title of the Alpine Golf and Sports Club in Pathum Thani, owned by the Shinawatra family—a move perceived by some as retaliation.
Furthermore, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is pursuing legal action to reclaim land in Buri Ram, alleging malfeasance by the Department of Lands (under the Interior Ministry) for issuing land titles to occupants, including a football stadium and a race track owned by Newin Chidchob, a prominent figure associated with the Bhumjaithai Party. Mr. Anutin’s family’s prominent position within Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction Plc, where he served as CEO before entering politics, adds further complexity. As the investigation unfolds, the intricacies of land ownership, political maneuvering, and potential conflicts of interest will undoubtedly come under intense scrutiny, potentially reshaping Thailand’s political dynamics.
