Five firms given logging permits

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Date:	24 Sep 1997 
	The Nation 
Five firms given logging permits 
KAMOL SUKIN 
The Nation 
MAE HONG SON ­ The continued illegal logging activities in the Salween 
wildlife sanctuary and national park may become more extensive now that five 
Thai firms have received new timber concessions from the Burmese government. 
Logs are being illegally cut in Thailand and floated down tributaries of the 
Salween River to Burma, where they are stamped as Burmese timber before being 
floated back into Thai territory as "legally" imported logs, explained 
Boonyian Yaibuathes, chief of an investigative team from the 
Anti-Deforestation Command (ADC). 
Whenever illegal timber is seized, all the companies deny that it belongs to 
them, according to a local official source. Over 10,000 logs have been removed 
from the Salween conservation area over the past month even though it is the 
rainy season, he said. 
The huge timber traffic has made the logs pier in the Mae Sam Lap increasingly 
muddy and the traffic had to be halted several weeks ago until a new pier is 
in place. 
The new concessions will certainly make the situation worse because it is very 
difficult in practice for inspectors to distinguish legal logs ­ cut down in 
Burma ­ from illegal timber cut down in Thailand, a local official said. 
"The ADC has only been able to seize a few [of the illegal logs]," the source 
said. 
Last week, the ADC confiscated 300 teak logs found floating down the Salween 
River. Boonyian revealed that five teams, comprised of officials from various 
agencies aided by the ADC, were sent into the area for the third time to block 
illegal logging routes and halt the illegal activities. 
"During the first two operations, from March through May, over 4,500 illegal 
logs [mostly teak] were seized. This time around, the three-month operation 
will end in October," Boonyian said. 
The Burmese Embassy's First Secretary Ngo Kho Pau told The Nation that four 
companies have received concessions from the Burmese government for logging in 
the area across from Mae Hong Son: Thai Sawat Import-Export Co Ltd, Thailand 
Korean Veteran Welfare Co Ltd, Polpana Co Ltd and B&F Goodrich Co Ltd. 
However, a source from the logging companies confirmed that another firm ­ 
Skabi Co Ltd ­ has also received a concession. 
None of the sources ­ which included officials from the Burmese Embassy, the 
Ministry of Interior and the National Security Council (NSC) ­ would reveal 
the sizes of the concessions. 
B&F Goodrich also refused to specify the exact amount of logs allowed to be 
cut under its concession, but said it is about 20,000 tonnes. It would not be 
worth investing in a smaller concession, the company source said. 
Aphichit Ingkhasirisap, managing director of Skabi, which is now awaiting a 
licence to complete work on a previous concession, insisted that all the 
timber which has come through Mae Sam Lap over the past month was illegally 
felled as his company was the only one to have a licence during the period and 
it did not remove any logs during the rainy season. 
Asked directly whether it is possible that some of the logs being imported 
legally by concession holders were actually cut down in Thailand's Salween 
conservation area, Burmese Embassy official Ngo Kho Pau said he had no 
comment. But businessmen are very tricky, he added. 
A senior source at B&F Goodrich, meanwhile, said all the cutting activities in 
Burma are done by Burmese officials. She said the company was involved mainly 
with the transportation and customs procedures. 
"We do business with the timber that is sent to us so long as it is the 
correct amount and type of log. Deciding whether it was cut legally or 
illegally is the duty of the government officials, not us," she said. 
Another logging company source said trees in Thailand tend to be larger than 
those cut on Burmese soil because they come from conservation areas while the 
forests have been subject to concessions for many decades. 
Following the seizure of 300 logs, the ADC's joint task force was sent to 
inspect other logs floating in the Salween River. The team clashed with 14 
heavily armed men patrolling the river, said Pol Gen Sidhiphorn Srichan who 
joined the team. 
"The log seizure caused a loss of benefits to many groups involved in the 
illegal logging trade. The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army has lost protection 
money, and some local authorities like kamnan and village headman are also 
involved and blocked the investigation."