Piyawat takes heat over forest claims

       The Justice Ministry has ordered a disciplinary investigation against a senior member of the Department of Special Investigation for criticising his superior over alleged interference in massive forest encroachment in Chiang Rai's Sok Kok forest reserve.
       Deputy permanent secretary for justice Charnchao Chaiyanukij, who oversees the DSI, said he had asked DSI chief Thawee Sodsong to set up a disciplinary panel to investigate Piyawat Kingkate,head of the special crime division.
       Mr Charnchao said he ordered the probe as he did not want to see any DSI officials who were at odds with their bosses disclosing information regarding rifts in the agency to the public.
       Pol Col Piyawat earlier decided to withdraw from an inquiry into alleged massive forest encroachment in Sop Kok forest reserve, claiming interference.
       He alleged that Pol Col Thawee was compromising the investigation.
       Pol Col Piyawat then lodged a complaint with the National Anti-Corruption Commission accusing the DSI chief of negligence of duty.
       DSI deputy director-general Narat Sawettanand, in his capacity as spokesman for the agency, yesterday criticised Pol Col Piyawat for his remarks against the DSI chief.
       He said the DSI had not stalled the case as alleged. It had ordered the investigation team to further investigate the case as some issues were not clear.
       The probe team had been asked to investigate whether encroachment areas were in a forest reserve or in Sor Por Kor agricultural land reform areas.
       But Pol Col Piyawat's team had not followed the order. Instead, Pol Col Piyawat submitted a letter to the DSI claiming its order was illegitimate.
       The team has yet to send the probe report to the DSI, said the spokesman.
       The DSI may set up a new team to investigate forest encroachment in the Sop Kok forest reserve after the investigation team pulled out of the case.
       He said the DSI chief had not ordered investigators to press criminal charges against the only witness in the encroachment case as alleged.
       Pol Col Piyawat yesterday said attempts were being made to intimidate the only witness in the case.
       The witness provided statements that he saw people accused of land encroachment surveying the forest reserve.
       But a group of men had recently tried to force the witness to reverse his statements, said Pol Col Piyawat. The witness had been asked to frame his investigation team, he added.
       He accused the DSI chief of trying to stall the case despite a conclusion by state agencies that the alleged encroached areas were part of the forest reserve.
       More than 900 rai of the protected forest has been encroached upon, allegedly by former government officials and close aides of a local politician.