The Department of Lands clarifies the 'Khao Kradong' issue, confirming that all actions have been conducted fully in accordance with the law, and asserts that the 995 land plots were lawfully issued. It urges waiting for the court's final decision.
On 25 July 2026, following the case in which Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the Democrat Party, announced plans to submit a letter to the Minister of Interior to monitor compliance with the court's ruling concerning land rights around Khao Kradong, Mueang Buriram District, Buriram Province, which is claimed to belong to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).
Recently, the Department of Lands issued a document summarizing the facts and legal points to clarify the procedures related to the land around Khao Kradong, aiming to provide a complete and accurate understanding. It emphasized that previous actions have strictly adhered to the law, court judgments, and administrative principles. The key points are twofold: first, the Supreme Court and the Third Appellate Court's rulings do not cover the entire 5,083 rai area; second, the SRT lacks the map attached to the Royal Decrees and the Supreme Court and Appellate Court judgments in three previous civil cases bind only the land involved in those cases, and cannot be automatically used to revoke titles of other land plots outside those cases. Residents outside the cases have the right to contest and prove their rights in court. Therefore, the claim that the rulings cover all 5,083 rai is an overextension.
The Department's document also states that for the Director-General of the Department of Lands to order cancellation of a title deed under Section 61 of the Land Code, there must be clear facts that the title was issued in error. However, the SRT cannot present the maps attached to the Royal Decrees of 1919 and 1921, which are essential to proving ownership boundaries. The 995 land titles were issued properly according to procedures and regulations at that time, and for many hundreds of plots, the SRT itself previously acknowledged that they lie outside SRT's area. The maps presented later by the SRT were newly created in 1996 (during the People's Assembly era), not the official maps attached to the Royal Decrees, and therefore cannot be used to revoke title deeds.
The document further notes that the Central Administrative Court previously ruled for the Director-General of the Department of Lands to establish an investigative committee under Section 61, paragraph two. The Director-General issued orders to form the committee (Orders No. 1195–1196/2023) and carried out joint surveys with the SRT. Later, as the SRT failed to submit the maps attached to the Royal Decrees, the committee resolved to recommend terminating the matter. Subsequently, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior dismissed the SRT's appeal in sequence, and the Supreme Administrative Court, in Order No. 241/2025, stated that the Director-General's formation of the investigative committee fully complied with the court’s directives. The observations regarding the survey were merely recommendations without binding effect.
Currently, the SRT has filed lawsuits against the Department of Lands, its Director-General, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior at the Central Administrative Court (Case No. 395/2025), where the court has accepted only the issues concerning the revocation of the order to terminate the matter and the appeal decision. Additionally, the SRT has filed lawsuits against 108 landholders (24 cases) at the Buriram Provincial Court, where joint surveys and mapping disputes are ongoing with the Military Mapping Department.
The Department of Lands emphasizes that it has fully complied with court rulings and all legal procedures. Now that the cases are in the judicial process at both the Central Administrative Court and Buriram Provincial Court, all parties should await the final judgments to ensure fairness for all involved and to guarantee land rights for both the state and the citizens.