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BKK POST:Scam prompts urgent steps
- Subject: BKK POST:Scam prompts urgent steps
- From: suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 20:56:00
February 17, 1998
FORESTRY - LOGGING BRIBERY SCANDAL
Scam prompts
urgent steps to
counter threat to
forests
Troops to help protect wildlife
sanctuaries
Post reporters
The five-million-baht logging bribery scandal has prompted
urgent measures to counter a serious threat to the forests.
The army agreed yesterday to help the Forestry Department by
sending troops to stamp out logging in the Salween wildlife
sanctuary and Salween national park in Mae Hong Son.
Gen Chettha Thanajaro, the army chief, said he would ask Gen
Maung Aye, his Burmese counterpart, in Rangoon next month,
to tell Democratic Karen Buddhist Army rebels not to help Thai
loggers falsify the origin of timber.
Logs have been hauled across the Salween river, given Burmese
seals and returned via passes in Tak.
Gen Charn Boonprasert, the army chief-of-staff, said after talks
with forestry officials that the first, second and fourth regional
commands were authorised by law to arrest illegal operators in
their areas of operation.
Emphasis would be placed on intelligence to keep track of
logging gangs, said Gen Charn. Once illegal operations appear
imminent, patrols would be despatched.
Pongpol Adireksarn, the Agriculture Minister, said a total ban on
log movements was being considered. Auctions of seized logs by
the Forest Industry Organisation had indirectly encouraged
destruction, he said.
Alarm bells were sounded after the prime minister turned down a
donation of five million baht believed to have been paid as bribe
to Mr Prawat to ignore illegal operations in the Salween forests.
Phakdi Chomphooming, the Mae Hong Son governor, said
border passes would be closed until matters are cleared up.
Denying he had failed to stem logging since he became governor
in 1996, Mr Phakdi said: "I will take responsibility but I am not
the blame. I will take punishment if they deem I deserve it but I
am not guilty."
Mae Hong Son administrators have ordered the transfer of four
forestry officials from the Mae Sariang and Pai district offices to
Bangkok pending investigations into allegations they assisted
loggers.
Two forestry officials from Tak have also been transferred to
Bangkok for alleged involvement in the payment to Mr Prawat.
In Mae Hong Son, Sa-nga Uatrakul, the provincial forestry chief,
said the best way to protect the Salween forests was to present
them to Their Majesties the King and Queen. No logging
operators would dare fell trees, he said.
Boonchu Trithong, a deputy Chart Thai leader, said the source
of the payment to Mr Prawat had been involved with illegal
logging in the Salween area since his concessions in Burma
expired in 1992.
Mr Boonchu said the operator has close connections with
Burmese authorities and minorities and had bought promotion for
several forestry officials.
The Lampang MP, who said he had been out of the logging
business for six years, said he was ready to give police
information about another influential logging operator from
Chiang Mai.
A source in Mae Hong Son said several thousand logs were
about to be smuggled in from Shan State by the two operators
mentioned by Mr Boonchu, former chief executive of Sirin
Technology Co, an importer of logs from Burma in 1989.
Mr Boonchu called for tougher action in fighting corruption,
saying senior civil servants ranging from division directors to
permanent secretaries should be forced to declare their assets
and liabilities.
Two House panels are investigating the logging bribery scandal
and illegal logging in the Salween forests.
Kaew Buasuwan, chairman of the Local Administration
Committee, said Mr Sathit, Mr Prawat and other senior officials
would be called to testify on Thursday.
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Last Modified: Tue, Feb 17, 1998