Khon Kaen police have issued a second summons for a 62-year-old woman known as ‘Aunt Da’ to acknowledge a trespassing charge after she failed to respond to an initial summons for blocking an entrance to a temple earlier this month.
Chommanee Noichan had until Thursday to answer the first summons, but she failed to appear and did not contact police or provide any explanation for her absence, Pol Col Yossawat Kaewsuebtunyanij, superintendent of the Muang Khon Kaen police station, said on Friday.
Ms Chommanee represents the heirs of a Khon Kaen man who donated the land on which the forest temple was built three decades ago. They have been fighting to reclaim the land in a dispute that centres on whether title can legally be transferred to the temple.
The dispute escalated on Aug 10 when vehicles and construction materials were brought in to block access to the temple. Security video showed ‘Aunt Da’ at the scene, leading to a trespassing charge.
Officers on Friday issued a second summons to answer the charge, giving Ms Chommanee another 15 days to report to the station.
Pol Col Yossawat said investigators had already gathered sufficient evidence in the case and were proceeding in accordance with legal procedures.
If Ms Chommanee fails to respond to both summonses without contacting police or providing a valid reason for her absence, officers will proceed with the next step, which is to seek a warrant for her arrest, he said.
Video from Aug 10 also showed nine other men involved in the incident. Police have images of their faces but investigators have been unable to identify them to issue summonses.
Pol Col Yossawat also said an ex-soldier allegedly involved in the incident had yet to meet investigators. He urged all those involved to report as soon as possible, saying police would ensure fairness to everyone.
Abbot has deed
Earlier, Phra Kru Adulyasananithet, 72, the abbot of Wat Pa Adulyaram, said the 21 rai of disputed land on which the temple stands was donated by Khon Kaen resident Hiang Phimsri, who died in 1991.
The senior monk recently produced what he said was the original title deed for the land plot.
The abbot also lodged as lodged an objection to an application by Hiang’s heirs for a replacement deed, and is asking to have the property registered in the temple’s name.
Buakhai Sornsamut, the administrator of Hiang’s estate, applied for the replacement deed after claiming the original document had been lost.
Ms Chommanee, whose mother was a sister of Hiang’s wife, runs a real estate business in Bangkok with her husband.