Thailand: Did Powerful Politician’s Family Pave Over Public Road?
In Thailand, does power simply become the rule? The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is now probing allegations that a public road in Nakhon Ratchasima province has been swallowed whole by a private airstrip belonging to the Rancho Charnvee Resort & Country Club, owned by the family of Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party. Bangkok Post
The case hinges on a one-kilometer runway, 450 meters of which reportedly overlaps a public road. Chanin Kaenhiran, a legal representative for the resort, claims the company holds valid land title deeds and Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) permits. But Kusumalwati Sirikomut, a reserve senator, has filed a petition alleging Anutin, then Interior Minister, ordered the airstrip’s construction.
He said the runway is located on private land, and drivers have never been barred from using the road. Despite admitting that part of the runway overlaps the road, he said it remains accessible.
This isn’t just about a single runway. It’s a microcosm of Thailand’s enduring struggle with impunity, land rights, and the often-incestuous relationship between private wealth, political power, and the very idea of public trust. The question isn’t just “did they pave over a road?” but “what are the conditions that made it thinkable?”
Thailand’s history is, in many ways, a chronicle of powerful families bending — or outright breaking — the rules to their advantage. The 1997 Asian financial crisis, for example, exposed how deeply connected elites leveraged their influence to secure sweetheart deals and bailouts, leaving ordinary citizens to shoulder the burden. Land ownership remains deeply concentrated, with a tiny fraction of the population controlling a staggering portion of the country’s acreage. This structural inequality doesn’t just create opportunities; it creates a system where those with political connections can acquire and develop land with…let’s call it “creative” interpretation of zoning laws and environmental regulations.
Indeed, the blurring of lines between political power and business interests in Thailand isn’t some recent anomaly. It’s practically a feature, not a bug. Scholars like Pasuk Phongpaichit have spent decades meticulously documenting the chronic problems of corruption and “crony capitalism” that have acted as a persistent drag on the country’s development. But it’s more than just individual acts of corruption; it’s the systemic acceptance of such behavior that allows it to fester.
This case also shines a light on the byzantine complexities of land governance in Thailand. The conflicting jurisdictions cited by the DSI — the Lam Takhong Nikhom Sang Ton Eng Office versus the Khanong Pra tambon administration — are symptomatic of a fragmented system that’s virtually designed for exploitation. Multiple layers of bureaucracy, often operating with limited transparency and even weaker enforcement mechanisms, create a perfect storm for developers to navigate regulations selectively, particularly when they have the right phone number to call.
But what are the long-term consequences of this slow-burn crisis of legitimacy? Each instance of apparent preferential treatment for elites doesn’t just erode public trust; it actively poisons it. It exacerbates inequality, not just in wealth but in opportunity, and it fundamentally undermines the very foundation of the rule of law. When citizens see that power allows one to simply opt out of the rules, it fosters a pervasive cynicism and discourages compliance, slowly unraveling the social contract itself.
The Anutin runway case isn’t just a scandal to be investigated and resolved. It’s a stark reminder that real justice demands far more than just investigations and prosecutions. It requires systemic reforms that strike at the root of the problem, robust regulatory oversight that’s immune to political interference, and an unwavering commitment to holding power accountable — regardless of who wields it or what connections they possess. Only then can Thailand hope to create a level playing field and ensure that the road ahead is truly open to everyone, not just those with their own private airstrip.
