Missing activist in row with RFD

Family members and local people have said they believe Den Kamlae was kidnapped because of a rights campaign he was conducting against the Royal Forest Department (RFD).

The police said they were still investigating the disappearance of the 65-year-old activist and continued to search the forest area with RFD officers. So far they have come up with nothing.

Den, a leader of Khok Yao community, disappeared on April 16 after going into the forest near his home to gather bamboo shoots.

Police Colonel Suriya Jakno-one, the superintendent of Huai Yang Police, said officers had conducted a wide-ranging search with forest rangers since April 18.

“The forest is very large and the police are not familiar with the area. It is a difficult task for us and we have to ask forest rangers to help with the search,” Suriya said.

“Not only [are we] looking for him in the forest, I [have] also ordered police to conduct an in-depth investigation.”

Local people reported they had found a shotgun cartridge and signs of a heavy object being dragged into the Prom River, Suriya said. He had just received this information and would investigate further.

Villagers said they were uncomfortable about the situation because they believed Den had been kidnapped because he was familiar with the forest.

Den’s wife Sapap Kamlae said she was sure her husband was not just lost in the forest because he often went there to get bamboo shoots and had no enemies. The only conflict he was involved in was the land dispute with the RFD.

“Last month before he went missing, RFD officers came and talked to him about evicting people from the forestland, and then he disappeared. I would like to ask authorities to help find my husband and bring him back,” Sapap said.

Den and his companions have campaigned for the right to live on 830 rai of forestland based on community land deeds for more than 10 years. Locals insist they have lived in this area before the RFD took it over to grow eucalyptus in 1985.