Officials involved in encroachment: Forest Dept probe
An ongoing investigation has shown that at least three officials, including a senior police officer, might have been involved in forestreserve encroachment in Nakhon Ratchasima's Wang Nam Kheow district.
"We are going to inform the Department of Special Investigation [DSI] of this," Royal Forest Department inspectorgeneral Witoon Chalayonnawin said yesterday.
He heads an adhoc panel tasked with investigating encroachment of forest reserves in Nakhon Ratchasima and adjacent areas.
His panel is probing 59 land plots inside the forest reserve on which buildings have gone up.
Witoon said there was solid evidence implicating a senior police officer, an administrative official and a forest official.
He said his panel has received satellite images from the WorldView1 satellite to assist with the investigation.
"The images are very clear and detailed," Witoon said.
Damrong Pidej, the new chief of the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, vowed to pursue legal action against forest encroachers.
He said resorts and vacation homes going up in the forest reserve would be dismantled.
"The court has already approved the dismantling of some resorts and vacation homes," he said, adding that he planned to inspect these properties next week.
Damrong said he would crack down on illegal logging of black wood species.
"I have already received a list of influential figures implicated in this illegal business," he said. He planned to confront them with the help of police officers early next week.
Damrong added that some forest officials had been involved in illegal logging.
"I have heard that sometimes the trees in forest reserves are cut down in front of the offices of national parks," he said, before announcing a plan to reshuffle forest officials.
"I will sign transfer orders very soon. The chiefs of national parks where illegal logging has taken place will be transferred," he said.
