The questioning of victims has been completed, and officers are now awaiting the submission of additional documents, Pol Lt Col Ekkasak Kwanwan, Senior Inspector (Investigation) at Karon Police, told The Phuket News.
“I want a document that proves how the construction is considered a factor in negligence and in what way it is negligent,” he said.
Pol Lt Col Ekkasak, even without evidence, has already determined that the illegal construction at the Big Buddha Viewpoint was not the sole factor that caused the landslide.
“The landslide deaths were not caused solely by the construction. Other factors like natural disasters and rocks must also be considered, as they were on the list too,” he said.
The “list” that Pol Lt Col Ekkasak was referring to is the official landslide investigation report conducted by the Department of Mineral Resources. The department was instructed to carry out the investigation into the cause of the landslide, which occurred on protected forest land administered by the Royal Forest Department (RFD).
The report plainly identified the illegal construction at the Big Buddha Viewpoint as a “contributing factor” to the landslide that killed 13 people.
“Before questioning the Phra Phuttha Ming Mongkol Sattha Foundation 45 and its president, Suporn Wanichkul, we need a detailed statement from Phongsakorn Kangwan, Director of the Office of Mineral Resources Region 4, who inspected the site, to explain if the construction played a role in the landslide deaths and could be seen as negligence,” Pol Lt Col Ekkasak said.
Pol Lt Col Ekkasak declined to acknowledge that his own statement and the request for more confirmation from the Department of Mineral Resources contradict the fact that the Department of Mineral Resources had already conducted an investigation into the landslide, and that Karon Police already have that report.
Regardless, to expedite matters, the Phuket Bar Association has requested the Phuket Governor’s Office to formally request Mr Phongsakorn to present himself and verify the findings of the official investigation into the cause of the landslide with the police, and provide any additional documents supporting claims of negligence against the foundation and its president since March.
Phuket Bar Association President Rungnapa Phutkaew met with Vice Governor Adul Chutong on Apr 2 to follow up on the landslide case and seek justice for those affected. Mr Adul pledged full support for the investigation.
VICTIMS
In an attempt to explain police efforts in the investigation, Pol Lt Col Ekkasak said that in the two months of January and February, officers questioned only seven of the surviving victims.
He gave no description of what Karon police had done to continue their investigation since then.
Watcharapong Sornchai, a village representative and victim, told The Phuket News that officers stopped questioning any survivors at the end of February.
“I lost about B10 million, including houses and apartments that I have, and some people lost their loved ones in this landslide, and we want responsibility for them,” he said.
Mr Watcharapong said that charges of illegal construction and encroachment filed by the Phuket office of the Royal Forest Department against the Phra Phuttha Ming Mongkol Sattha Foundation 45 and its president Mr Suporn was “already with the prosecutor, awaiting trial”.
“But when it comes to our case, progress has been painfully slow,” he said.
Some victims have expressed frustration over the slow progress. “The case [regarding the deaths caused by the landslide] is still stuck at the police station. It hasn’t moved forward,” one victim said.
“The foundation hasn’t even come to apologise. Now they’re saying they need more documents, but I don’t understand what else they need when the Department of Mineral Resources Region 4 Office has already confirmed construction played a role,” the victim said.
“The case is still with Karon Police Station, and there’s no sign that it will be forwarded to the prosecutor anytime soon,” the victim added.