THE NATION: Chavalit accused in

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      Chavalit accused in
      logging case

      The Democrats yesterday continued their
      campaign to link New Aspiration Party
      leader Chavalit Yongchaiyudh to the
      Salween forestry scandal, claiming that
      while in office he approved the opening of
      several temporary border checkpoints
      believed to have been used for illegal
      logging. 

      Somchai Phetprasert, a spokesman for the
      Interior Ministry, said Gen Chavalit, while
      interior minister, signed an order dated Nov
      19, 1993 approving the opening of 23
      temporary border checkpoints for three
      companies to import 40,000 tonnes of logs.

      The three firms were Thaipong Sawmill,
      Skabee and South West Himex, according
      to Somchai, a Democrat MP. 

      It is expected the opposition will attack
      Agriculture Minister Pongpol Adireksarn of
      the Chat Thai Party over the Salween
      logging scandal during the upcoming
      no-confidence debate. 

      Chat Thai leader Banharn Silapa-archa has
      also been accused by the opposition of
      improperly approving the opening of border
      checkpoints while he was prime minister
      and interior minister. 

      Somchai also said Banharn had signed
      orders in 1995 and 1996 allowing two firms
      to import logs. NAP secretary-general Snoh
      Thienthong, who was interior minister in the
      previous government, also allowed the
      import of 10,000 logs, he said. 

      During the current government, there have
      been requests from four companies for the
      opening of border checkpoints but Interior
      Minister Sanan Kachornprasart, the
      Democrat secretary-general, has not yet
      given approval, Somchai said. 

      He said he wondered why Mae Hong Son
      Governor Pakdi Chompuming had not
      taken action against people involved in
      felling trees in the Salween forests. He also
      blamed other officials, police and military
      officers. 

      An Interior Ministry committee looking into
      illegal logging in the Salween forests,
      earlier this week blamed Karen refugees
      for large-scale cutting of trees and
      suggested temporary border checkpoints
      should be sealed. 

      Officials have said almost all logs which
      were claimed to have been imported from
      Burma in the past few years, were in fact
      logs cut from Salween National Park and
      Salween Wildlife Sanctuary and were
      imported under the guise of Burmese logs. 

      The logging scandal broke last month when
      Prawat Thanadka, then a deputy Royal
      Forestry Department chief, attempted to
      donate Bt5 million which he said was a
      bribe, to the Thai-help-Thai campaign. 

      Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai refused to
      accept the money. Prawat has been
      transferred to an inactive post and could
      face legal and disciplinary action. 

      Police have identified Prawat and Vinai
      Panichyanuban, owner of Sahavanakit
      Sawmill in Tak, as the recipient and donor
      of the alleged Bt5 million bribe. 

      Police on Wednesday seized more than
      5,000 logs at Sahavanakit Sawmill. Central
      Investigation Bureau Commissioner Seri
      Temiyavej said yesterday the timber had
      been cut in the Salween forests. 

      The Nation