BKK Post.February 24, 1998. Three g

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February 24, 1998. Three groups to tackle different issues
                                Wood laundering, naming wrongdoers, border points opening

The Government's investigation committee yesterday ordered three 
fact-finding working groups to be set up, to investigate different 
aspects of the Salween logging scandal.

Committee chairman Chanasak Yuwaboon said the working groups will have 
the right to question all state officials including military officers if 
they believe it is necessary.

The formation of the three working groups was agreed on after members of 
the investigation committee met for three hours behind closed doors to 
discuss the scandal.

The first working group will have the responsibility to investigate the 
"wood laundering" tactic by persons involved in the scandal, to 
determine if it is true that the seized logs were in fact felled in 
Thailand and shipped across the border into Burma.

This working group will be chaired by Plodprasob Surasawadee, 
secretary-general of the Office for the Land Reform for Agriculture.

The second working group has the responsibility to identify the 
wrongdoers in the scandal. It will be headed by Gen Vinit Krachangsont, 
former First Army commander. It also has Pol Gen Sant Sarutanont, deputy 
police chief, as a member.

The last working group will investigate the opening of temporary border 
checkpoints at the border to allow illegally felled logs in. It will 
investigate the Karen refugees' involvement in the logging problem at 
the Salween National Park.

The panel will be headed by Kachadpai Burutpat, deputy secretary-general 
of the National Security Council.

The probe committee and the three working groups will conduct a field 
inspection tour to the National Park on Friday to collect first-hand 
information.

Mr Chanasak said he was confident his team will be able to conclude its 
findings for reporting to the Prime Minister within the 30-day period as 
ordered.

Meanwhile, Prawat Thanadkha, the deputy chief of the Forestry 
Department, yesterday voiced confidence that his good intentions in 
donating a kickback of five million baht would not backfire on him.

The deputy director general dragged himself into the illegal logging 
scandal in the Salween national park when he contributed five million 
baht cash, from an intended bribe, to the Thai-Help-Thai foundation only 
to be turned down by the prime minister.

Mr Prawat maintained that he had done nothing wrong: "Even though the 
bribery scandal seems to drag on, I won't be affected. I never did 
anything wrong."

Distancing himself from the scandal, he said his job was to supply the 
facts involving the source of money to investigators.

He also failed to identify the courier of the cash found in a cardboard 
box in his own house.

However, chief investigator Pol Lt-Gen Seri Temiyavej earlier said Mr 
Prawat positively identified a man in the police sketch drawn with the 
help of his wife.

He also declined to say whether he knows Som Jankrajang, a prominent 
logging business operator along the Thai-Burmese border.

Prime Minister Chuan turned down his donation because the source of 
money could not be identified.

As the money was linked to illegal logging at Salween national park, he 
ordered a wide-scale investigation into the illegal activities.

Mae Hong Son Governor Pakdee Chompooming said he had not been idle about 
the illegal logging business at the park.

He said he would resign if he was to be transferred because of the 
problem.

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