THE NATION: 980327: Sanan offers jo

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Politics 

      Sanan offers jobs to
      timber scam officials

      Interior Minister Sanan Kachornprasart has
      decided to create special posts for the five
      officials under investigation in the Salween
      logging scandal. 

      He said he planned to appoint the five to
      new positions and make them feel more
      welcome by giving them higher authority.
      Normally they would be transferred to
      inactive posts as ministry inspectors while
      under investigation. 

      Sanan said he was creating one post of
      deputy permanent secretary for interior in
      charge of local affairs, two offices for C-10
      officials attached to the ministry and two
      offices for C-9 officials attached to the
      ministry. 

      He said he would present the proposed
      transfers to the Cabinet on Tuesday for
      approval. 

      Permanent Secretary for Interior Chanasak
      Yuwaboon said yesterday he was seeking
      a formal endorsement by the Civil Service
      Commission for the new posts. 

      The five officials are at the centre of an
      investigation into the systematic illegal
      logging of commercially prized teakwood in
      Salween national reserve forest. The timber
      was smuggled across the border into
      Burma and then floated back across the
      Salween River to look like it had been
      imported. 

      The Nation