BKK POST: Suddenly politicians ar

[suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

February 17, 1998


                                     



                              Commentary


              Suddenly
              politicians are tree
              huggers 

              All of a sudden, Mae Hong Son province appears to be the
              focus of intense attention among politicians, thanks to Prawat
              Thanadkha, deputy director-general of the Forestry Department.

              He has has proven a better salesman than the Tourism Authority
              of Thailand in selling the province although that might never have
              been his intention. 

              At the weekend, Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai made an
              unscheduled visit to the province to make an aerial inspection of
              Salween national park and Salween wildlife sanctuary where
              massive illegal logging has taken place. A source said he
              appeared upset by what he had seen.

              Three separate but similar hearings are scheduled this week in
              Parliament by three House committees. They concern illegal
              logging in the park, and the sanctuary, and the mysterious
              five-million-baht-bribe allegedly donated to the Thai-help-Thai
              Fund but rejected by the premier as being possibly dirty money.
              The money, contained in a cardboard box, was said to have
              been left at the home of Mr Prawat by someone linked to illegal
              logging activities in Mae Hong Son.

              Apart from the many local and foreign tourists who flock to Mae
              Hong Son at this time of year to appreciate its abundant natural
              attractions and cultural diversity, the province can look forward
              to playing host to several more visitors from Parliament, the
              government and the military in the coming weeks. Among them
              will be an army task force given the job of suppressing illegal
              logging.

              All of a sudden it seems that almost every politician and
              bureaucrat cares for the trees in Mae Hong Son and is rushing to
              their protection. But ask the average native in the northern
              province about the sudden surge in interest and the answer might
              be: "What the heck is it all about?" 

              To their knowledge, illegal logging has been going on for years in
              the Salween area. Everyone seems to accept it as a common and
              legitimate practice. Nobody seems to care if almost every official
              concerned turned a blind eye to the problem.

              It is an open secret that many of the logs "imported" from Burma
              via various border passes, in fact, originated from Salween
              national park and wildlife sanctuary. Once felled, the logs were
              hauled into the Salween river and left untouched by Thai officials
              due to the uncertain territorial status of the river. The logs were
              then stamped with a Burmese seal and brought across the border
              with documents showing Burma as the origin. 

              Three or four companies, all well connected to local and national
              politicians and key military figures, both active and retired, were
              given licences to import logs from Burma by the previous
              governments of Banharn Silpa-archa and General Chavalit
              Yongchaiyudh. The firms' executives know that forests along the
              Burmese border near Thailand have already been denuded and it
              would not be worth their while bringing logs cut deep in Burma
              to the Salween river.

              One wonders if, had it not been for the exposure of the bribery
              scandal and the possible link with politicians, the wanton
              deforestation in the Salween area would ever have come to the
              public's attention. 

              Apparently, the case is now a political issue, not due to any
              genuine interest on the part of those concerned, but for use as a
              political football. We have yet to witness the political will to
              stamp out this illegal activity. This should begin with a rethink on
              the policy of importing timber from Burma. The presence of the
              army will, at best, only restrain the loggers for a time.

              Once the heat has died down it will become business as usual.
              This has been the case time and again. 

              Forest conservation has never been treated as a priority by any
              Thai government.




                                     




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Last Modified: Tue, Feb 17, 1998