Troops join campaign to stop loggers; Sawmills to come under close watch
Copyright 2000 Bangkok Post
November 7, 2000
A six-month operation has been launched to clamp down on log poachers in Mae Yom national park, which boasts the nation's last tract of teak forest.
Forestry officials and paramilitary rangers from the Third Army will patrol the park, which covers 400,000 rai and straddles Phrae, Lampang, Phayao and Nan provinces .
Plodprasop Suraswadi, the Forestry Department chief, and Gen Watanachai Chaimuanwong, the Third Army commander, yesterday co-chaired the opening of the first joint command centre at Ban Haeng in Lampang's Ngao district.
The joint operational force will patrol the national park and set up road checkpoints to stop poachers leaving the forest with wood. They will also inspect sawmills to make sure they are not supplied with illegal logs.
There will be three checkpoints each in Phrae and Lampang, and two in Phayao.
The forestry chief said more than 400 teak trees, aged between 50-100 years, were felled in the park, particularly in Kaeng Sua Ten.
Poachers girded the teak trees, let them die standing and felled them. More than 50 elephants from Surin and Chiang Rai were used to haul the logs, which were then hidden in underwater reservoirs. After being sawn into planks, about 80% were sent to Phrae and the rest to Lampang, Mr Plodprasop said.
All elephants and mahouts found in the forest will be rounded up, he said.
Gen Wattanachai said the paramilitary rangers would provide security for forestry officials.