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BKK Post, March 15, 1998. ILLEGAL L



March 15, 1998. ILLEGAL LOGGING

Log poaching seen widespread in FIO's forest plantations
Number of illegal loggers on the rise
Somsak Suksai

Apart from illegal logging in the Salween National Park of Mae Hong Son, 
massive log poaching in the Forest Industry Organisation's forest 
plantations in the North is another major problem for the country's 
natural resources conservation.

Since the revocation of logging concessions in all forests in 1990, the 
number of illegal loggers has increased.

A huge number of illegal logs have been sent to sawmills and furniture 
plants in many northern provinces including Phrae, Lampang and Chiang 
Mai. 

According to illegal logging suppression units of the army and the 
Forestry Department, many teaks in Jae Hom and Ngao districts of 
Lampang, Den Chai, Long and Song districts of Phrae, Mae Sot district of 
Tak and Mae Sariang district of Mae Hong Son and many other areas in the 
upper north have been cut down.

Trees in the FIO's forest plantations have been the main target of 
illegal loggers, especially major ones in Lampang and Phrae, over the 
past few years.

According to an informed source, no less than 10 forest plantations 
totalling hundreds of thousands rai in the North are threatened by 
illegal loggers who reap benefits of one billion baht per year from 
them.

"Those involved with illegal logging have strongholds in Phrae and 
Lampang. They work as a large network with entrepreneurs in each 
province, apart from loggers in Thai-Burmese border areas," the source 
said.

The source also accused some police officers of facilitating illegal 
logging and certain forestry officials of secretly being advisers or 
business partners of illegal loggers, saw millers and furniture factory 
owners.

According to the source, illegal loggers in Lampang and Phrae who have 
close ties with some local politicians, high-ranking police officers, 
sawmillers and national politicians hire certain kamnans and village 
headmen to provide information about the sources of logs for them and 
many villagers to cut down trees in forests for them.

Deputy Phrae Governor Worakiat Somsoi said provincial authorities will 
seriously suppress illegal logging in Phrae, especially in forest 
plantations with trees under five years old, in cooperation with the 
Third Army.

According to him, the affected forest plantations include Thung Khwian, 
Mae Sai Kham, Mae Song, Mae Sook, Huay Thak, Mae Phrik, Mae Saliam, Mae 
Mok and Mae Wa forest plantations in Lampang and Mae Marn, Khun Mae Kham 
Mee, Mae Khaem, Mae Song, Mae Saruay and Mae Yom forest plantations in 
Phrae.

"The forest plantation which is like the coronary vein of the FIO is 
Huay Thak Forest Plantation which is located on 60,000-rai of land plots 
such as those in Huay Mee, Wang Nai, Huay Lueng, Huay Tao and Huay 
Thak," another source said.

According to the source, the illegal logging operation will start from 
early evening and end at about 4 a.m. of another day.

About 5-10 workers are usually hired to cut down trees at each point. 
Elephants haul logs out of forests to some places where at least 2-5 
vehicles, mostly pick-up trucks which look old from outside but have 
turbo engines, are used to take logs to destinations.

Armed men in 2-3 other vehicles installed with communicative equipment 
guard log delivery vehicles and throw pointed metal pieces and TAPU onto 
roads to stop concerned officials who may follow them while a number of 
men are posted along log-hauling routes to watch out for possible 
danger.

Each pick-up truck driver is paid 1,000-2,000 baht per trip depending on 
how long the distance is while guards are paid 200-500 baht per night.

A forestry official at Mae Yom National Park said an average number of 
log deliveries per month is 30-40 and that of log delivery vehicles per 
night is 10 while only one of them is seized by concerned officials. 

According to the source, most of these illegal logs are 15-20-year-old 
teak logs.

The most popular log-hauling route is that linking Ngao district to 
Song, Rong Khwang and Muang Phrae districts though there are up to ten 
forestry checkpoints.

According to him, some police officers and officials at forestry 
checkpoints are paid by illegal loggers 10,000-30,000 baht and forestry 
officials 10,000-50,000 baht monthly.

Although the Forestry Department has decentralised its power to direct 
illegal logging suppression operations in each province to provincial 
governors and forestry district chiefs since 1992 for more efficiency, a 
large number of forests and forest plantations have been destroyed.

"I accept that illegal logging suppression is a sensitive issue and must 
depend on a lot of forces. We face many problems including that from 
villagers who take money from loggers, the influence of illegal logging 
movements and the outdated law but we must try to do our best," Lampang 
Governor Chalermpol Prathepawanich said.

In the latest development, the FIO plans to grant logging concessions at 
its forest plantations in the North to the private sector to boost its 
financial liquidity, so many people doubt how many trees will remain 
there. 

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