CASES relating to land, forests, forest reserves, wild animal preservation and protection, plus national park laws can now be investigated directly by the Department of Special Investigation.

Yesterday, a special-case committee meeting headed by Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam gave the DSI the power to oversee five kinds of complex cases deemed a threat to the country’s economy and stability or involving influential |figures.

“The meeting allowed the DSI to take on cases about land, forests and wildlife to investigate directly because these kinds of cases have high complexity and have the potential to impact a wider range [of people] socially and economically,” Pol Colonel Paisit Wongmuang, the DSI director-general said.

“Moreover, many cases about natural resources often involve powerful people and they can influence cases or make local authorities halt investigations. So it is important that the DSI can directly investigate these cases.”

Paisit revealed that another three cases – forest encroachment on Koh Naga Noi Island in Phuket, illegal petroleum exploration and production in Phetchabun, and the Hajj |pilgrim fraud – has also been |transferred to the department.

He said the DSI had been put in charge of forest encroachment and illegal land deed registration cases on Koh Naga Noi Island in Phuket because it was a big issue that affected natural resources and was of public interest.

He said illegal fuel exploration and production in Phetchabun could also affect the economy because it involved collection of royalties from mining and drilling for oil and gas.

Hajj pilgrim fraud case

In regard to the Hajj pilgrim fraud, the DSI chief said more than 500 Muslims had lost money after being told they could travel to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj for only Bt15,000 – instead of the normal cost of about Bt180,000.

“This is a threat to the social order and to people, so we have to take the Hajj pilgrim fraud case,” Paisit remarked.

“From now on, these cases are a DSI responsibility directly and there is no need for the DSI to ask to the committee to take these kinds of cases anymore,” he said.

The special-case committee asked that there be only five cases presented at each meeting to allow its members to consider each case carefully, as there are reportedly many more requests pending for the DSI to take over other cases.