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updated VOA news on Thai-Burma Logg



Dear Netters,
                        Please redistribute the following text. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Julien Moe
-----------------
DATE=2/23/98

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-227142

TITLE=THAI / BURMA / LOGGING / L-O

BYLINE=GARY THOMAS

DATELINE=BANGKOK

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 




INTRO:  THAI MILITARY FORCES MONDAY BEGAN RELOCATING THOUSANDS OF

ETHNIC KAREN REFUGEES TO NEW CAMPS IN THAILAND.  THE REFUGEES -- 

WHO FLED FROM BURMA -- ARE BELIEVED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE ILLEGAL

LOGGING TRADE.  AS V-O-A CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS FROM 

BANGKOK, THE TRADE HAS SPARKED A POLITICAL SCANDAL IN THAILAND.




TEXT:  THAI TROOPS MOVED IN MONDAY TO RELOCATE MORE THAN 10 

THOUSAND KAREN AWAY FROM THE SALWEEN NATIONAL PARK -- SITE OF 

ILLEGAL LOGGING AND THE BIRTHPLACE OF A DOMESTIC POLITICAL 

SCANDAL.




THAI AUTHORITIES SAY THEY DECIDED TO RELOCATE THE KAREN BECAUSE 

THEY BELIEVE SOME OF THEM ARE INVOLVED IN ILLEGAL LOGGING.




THE KAREN HAVE TAKEN REFUGE IN THAILAND FROM THE BURMESE MILITARY

GOVERNMENT, WHICH HAS ATTEMPTED TO QUELL THE ETHNIC KAREN 

INSURGENCY.  THAI AUTHORITIES HAD PLANNED TO FORCIBLY REPATRIATE 

THE REFUGEES BACK TO BURMA, AFTER THEY RESISTED ORIGINAL ATTEMPTS

TO MOVE THEM AWAY FROM THE PARK -- AN ENVIRONMENTALLY-SENSITIVE 

WILDLIFE SANCTUARY.  FORCED WITH A CHOICE OF RELOCATION OR 

REPATRIATION, THEY CHOSE RELOCATION.




THAILAND HAS BANNED HARDWOOD LOGGING SINCE 1989.  BUT -- DESPITE 

SPORADIC ATTEMPTS TO END IT -- ILLEGAL LOGGING CONTINUES IN 

THAILAND TO MEET A DEMAND FOR THE TREASURED TEAKWOOD.  IN WHAT 

MIGHT BE TERMED "LOG LAUNDERING," TEAK TREES ARE CUT DOWN IN 

THAILAND;  FLOATED THEM DOWN THE SALWEEN RIVER TO THE BURMESE 

SIDE;  THEN BROUGHT BACK ACROSS THE BORDER WITH FALSE PAPERS 

SHOWING THAT THEY CAME FROM BURMA.  THE LOGS SELL FOR PREMIUM 

PRICES.




THE PRACTICE HAS SPARKED A POLITICAL SCANDAL IN THAILAND.




PRAWAT THANADKHA -- DEPUTY-DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE THAI FORESTRY 

DEPARTMENT -- SAYS HE WAS STARTLED WHEN SOMEONE RECENTLY DROPPED 

A BAG IN FRONT OF HIS HOUSE CONTAINING FIVE MILLION BAHT -- ABOUT

116 THOUSAND DOLLARS.  HE SAYS HE SUSPECTED IT WAS A BRIBE AND 

TRIED TO TURN IT OVER TO THE GOVERNMENT.  BUT PRIME MINISTER 

CHUAN LEEKAPI TURNED THE MONEY DOWN AND ORDERED AN INVESTIGATION 

TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE MONEY.




SIX FORESTRY DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS ARE REPORTED TO HAVE ALREADY 

BEEN TRANSFERRED AS PART OF THE INVESTIGATION.  SOME REPORTS IN 

THE THAI MEDIA  ALLEGE MILITARY OFFICIALS IN THE SENSITIVE BORDER

AREA ARE INVOLVED.   THE OPPOSITION IS THREATENING TO BRING A 

CENSURE MOTION AGAINST MR. CHUAN'S GOVERNMENT OVER THE MATTER.




THAI AUTHORITIES SAY A GROUP OF OFFICIALS INVESTIGATING THE 

LOGGING WAS FIRED ON SUNDAY FROM THE BURMESE SIDE, AS THEY WERE 

SAILING DOWN THE SALWEEN RIVER.  NO ONE WAS INJURED.  (SIGNED).


NEB / WED / WD


23-Feb-98 5:10 AM EST (1010 UTC)