Former Thai premier ordered to relinquish land

BANGKOK – Forestry officials say a former Thai prime minister illegally built a home on protected land and must give it up.

The announcement Thursday from the Royal Forestry Department's ruling against Surayud Chulanont, who was interim prime minister in 2007, defuses a political issue that promised to bedevil the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Earlier this month, thousands of protesters hiked up to Surayud's vacation home on Khao Yai Thiang mountain, 109 miles (175 kilometers) northeast of the capital, Bangkok, demanding he give up the house and be charged with trespassing on public land.

Abhisit's critics accused the government of double standards for pressing prosecutions of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, but failing to pursue cases against political allies such as Surayud.

Military leaders who staged a 2006 coup that removed Thaksin from power installed Surayud.

Surayud said he would comply with the ruling, and he has 30 days to so.