BKK POST:Scam prompts urgent steps

[suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

February 17, 1998


                                     



                 FORESTRY - LOGGING BRIBERY SCANDAL

              Scam prompts
              urgent steps to
              counter threat to
              forests

              Troops to help protect wildlife
              sanctuaries

              Post reporters

              The five-million-baht logging bribery scandal has prompted
              urgent measures to counter a serious threat to the forests.

              The army agreed yesterday to help the Forestry Department by
              sending troops to stamp out logging in the Salween wildlife
              sanctuary and Salween national park in Mae Hong Son.

              Gen Chettha Thanajaro, the army chief, said he would ask Gen
              Maung Aye, his Burmese counterpart, in Rangoon next month,
              to tell Democratic Karen Buddhist Army rebels not to help Thai
              loggers falsify the origin of timber.

              Logs have been hauled across the Salween river, given Burmese
              seals and returned via passes in Tak.

              Gen Charn Boonprasert, the army chief-of-staff, said after talks
              with forestry officials that the first, second and fourth regional
              commands were authorised by law to arrest illegal operators in
              their areas of operation.

              Emphasis would be placed on intelligence to keep track of
              logging gangs, said Gen Charn. Once illegal operations appear
              imminent, patrols would be despatched.

              Pongpol Adireksarn, the Agriculture Minister, said a total ban on
              log movements was being considered. Auctions of seized logs by
              the Forest Industry Organisation had indirectly encouraged
              destruction, he said.

              Alarm bells were sounded after the prime minister turned down a
              donation of five million baht believed to have been paid as bribe
              to Mr Prawat to ignore illegal operations in the Salween forests.

              Phakdi Chomphooming, the Mae Hong Son governor, said
              border passes would be closed until matters are cleared up.
              Denying he had failed to stem logging since he became governor
              in 1996, Mr Phakdi said: "I will take responsibility but I am not
              the blame. I will take punishment if they deem I deserve it but I
              am not guilty."

              Mae Hong Son administrators have ordered the transfer of four
              forestry officials from the Mae Sariang and Pai district offices to
              Bangkok pending investigations into allegations they assisted
              loggers.

              Two forestry officials from Tak have also been transferred to
              Bangkok for alleged involvement in the payment to Mr Prawat.

              In Mae Hong Son, Sa-nga Uatrakul, the provincial forestry chief,
              said the best way to protect the Salween forests was to present
              them to Their Majesties the King and Queen. No logging
              operators would dare fell trees, he said.

              Boonchu Trithong, a deputy Chart Thai leader, said the source
              of the payment to Mr Prawat had been involved with illegal
              logging in the Salween area since his concessions in Burma
              expired in 1992.

              Mr Boonchu said the operator has close connections with
              Burmese authorities and minorities and had bought promotion for
              several forestry officials.

              The Lampang MP, who said he had been out of the logging
              business for six years, said he was ready to give police
              information about another influential logging operator from
              Chiang Mai.

              A source in Mae Hong Son said several thousand logs were
              about to be smuggled in from Shan State by the two operators
              mentioned by Mr Boonchu, former chief executive of Sirin
              Technology Co, an importer of logs from Burma in 1989.

              Mr Boonchu called for tougher action in fighting corruption,
              saying senior civil servants ranging from division directors to
              permanent secretaries should be forced to declare their assets
              and liabilities.

              Two House panels are investigating the logging bribery scandal
              and illegal logging in the Salween forests.

              Kaew Buasuwan, chairman of the Local Administration
              Committee, said Mr Sathit, Mr Prawat and other senior officials
              would be called to testify on Thursday.




                                     




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Last Modified: Tue, Feb 17, 1998