PHUKET: The award-winning Istana Phuket project and the Malaiwana Villas and Residences have been added to the 12 projects being investigated for parkland encroachment, the Director of Sirinath National Park, Cheewapab Cheewatam, said today.

Twelve cases already under investigation are expected to be explained in full next Tuesday by the Director General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Damrong ''The Demolisher'' Pidech.

The future of Phuket resorts and property developments valued at billions of baht now ride on these claims of illegality.

''In some cases these chanotes [land titles] have changed hands 10 times since the early 1980s,'' Khun Cheewapab told Phuketwan today.

''We have to go right back to find the point at which the deception occurred. We need to trace the names of all those who were involved in the approvals process.''

The two new additions, Istana Phuket, where 19 luxury villas are to be built, and the equally highly regarded Malaiwana hillside development, will take longer to investigate, Khun Cheewapab said today.

Both of those projects are premium Phuket developments, with widely respected people involved in design and management. Istana Phuket has been celebrated as a ''world's best architecture'' winner.

Allegations of misappropriation of public parkland in six of the investigations have already been passed to Phuket police to consider further action, Khun Cheewapab said today.

He named the 277-room Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon Beach resort, under construction and due to open on November 1, as a case where 13 rai of parkland had clearly been misappropriated.

Maitree Narukatpichai, whose family owns the Pullman, the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa and the boutique Villa Zolitude, told Phuketwan in July: ''We are very confident that we have the title deeds.''

He added that people involved in the investigation were ''just doing their jobs.''

Khun Cheewapab said today: ''There has been lots of pressure involved in investigating these cases. We feel for the owners as well.

''In some cases, the chanotes have all the appearance of being legal documents. Foreign investors have in some cases been led to believe the documents are genuine.

''But by tracing back the heritage of these documents, we have been able to uncover what exactly has happened over the years.''

Department Director Khun Damrong brought in 12 teams from outside Phuket to undertake the initial 12 investigations, drawing the projects in a lottery.

Khun Cheewapab said there were another 400 plots of land bordering the Sirinath National Park that were contentious and warranted investigation.

He estimated that of the 10,000 rai on Phuket covered by the park, which extends out to sea, 4000 rai had been claimed under various chanotes.

Five hundred rai of the contentious 4000 rai had been developed, he said.

The Malaiwana was previously named on the list of 12 projects under investigation but Stephen Paine, managing director of Malaiwana, told Phuketwan that the company named, Suree Samrit Co., Ltd, had no connection with Malaiwana.

Now, the Malaiwana project has been named. It is believed Suree Samrit Co., Ltd owns a property near Malaiwana.



1. Phuket Peninsular Spa & Resort Co.Ltd Under investigation: five rai out of 10 rai. Cost: one billion baht, 74 room resort now on the site but closed after protest by locals about the use of a public road allegedly as a private road. On August 28, reported to Thachatchai Police Station's Lieutenant Rassade Kluengwong. Investigation team from Sriracha province. Head of investigation: Itthisak Teawting.

2. Landstate Co.Ltd. (Bangtao Beach Resort) Under investigation: more than five rai from a total of 99 rai. On September 5, reported to Cherg Talay Police Station's Lieutenant Yossaphat Suwannasith. Investigation team from Nakhosrithammarat. Head of investigation: Wigran Tuaduaw.

3. La Colline Villa Development Company. Under investigation: more than nine rai from 20 rai. On August 31, reported to Cherng Talay Police Station with Pol.Lt Yossaphat Suwannasith. Investigation team from Phrae province.

4. Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon Beach. Alleged flying Nor Sor 3 land title. Property ownership papers have been reported to
Tachatchai Police Station. Investigating team from Department of National Parks and Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

5. Suree Samlit Co.Ltd been reported to Tachatchai Police Station. Investigating team from Khon Kaen.

6. Central & City Development Co.Ltd (Centra Grand West Sand Resort & Villas Phuket). Investigating team from Surat Thani.

7. Cape International Under investigation: more than half a rai, seven million baht cost. Investigating team from Songkhla.

8. Andaman White Beach Resort. Investigation team from Nakornratchasima.

9. Pavilions Beach Resort Co.Ltd (Imperial Adamas Beach Resort). The investigating team from Phitsanulok.

10. Layan Phuket Co.Ltd. (Bundarika Villas & Suites Phuket) Investigating team from Tak.

11. Three Dolphins Company Limited (Trisara Resort) Alleged flying Nor Sor 3 over 140 rai from 200 rai. Investigating team from Chiang Mai and Department of National Parks and Wildlife and Plant Conservation. Head of team: Sermyos Somman.

12. Bernard Gauthier. On August 26, reported to Cherng Talay Police Station's Lieutenant Yossaphat Suwannasith. More than three rai from seven rai. Investigating team from Chiang Mai and Department of National Parks and Wildlife and Plant Conservation. Head of team: Sermyos Somman.



13. Malaiwana Villas and Residences Winner, best Villa Development 2011 (Thailand) South East Asia property Awards.

14. Istana Phuket World's best Architecture (Multiple residence) International Property Awards in association with Bloomberg television