Kaeng Krachan wildfire burns 1,700 rai as officials hunt forest invaders

A wildfire in the Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex has destroyed more than 1,700 rai of natural forest, with Thai authorities saying the blaze was linked to illegal land clearing and tree felling inside the world heritage area. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin on April 13 ordered an intensified response, including extra officers and helicopter support, and said those responsible would face the full force of the law.

The fire broke out in the Bang Kloi area of Huai Mae Phriang subdistrict in Kaeng Krachan district of Phetchaburi, in a protected upstream forest zone classified as 1A watershed forest. Officials said the damage was concentrated in two main plots. In the first, investigators found signs of forest clearing and large trees being felled for cultivation, with the fire spreading across about 1,700 rai. In the second, they found around 6 rai and 3 ngan of encroached land with more large trees cut down and left behind.

The operation began on April 10, when officials detected a hotspot about four kilometres above Bang Kloi village. Mongkol Chaiphakdee, head of Kaeng Krachan National Park, then dispatched 30 ground officers, who trekked for more than five hours along mountain ridges to reach the site. As the fire continued to spread on April 11 and 12 because of steep terrain and difficult weather, Suchart ordered helicopter No. 1110 into the area to support aerial water drops and stop the blaze from spreading further towards communities and sensitive forest ecosystems. More than 60 officers were deployed in the wider suppression effort.

Athapol Charoenshunsa, director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, said officials had been told to pursue the case to the highest level, with initial findings suggesting the damage was likely caused by people familiar with the area because it would be difficult for outsiders to gain access. Suchart said the authorities would not allow a small group of people to destroy one of the country’s most valuable natural assets, and stressed that those responsible for encroaching on and burning forest inside a world heritage area must face criminal penalties as well as heavy environmental compensation claims.

Officials have now compiled seizure records and handed all evidence to Kaeng Krachan police to speed up the investigation, expand the case and bring the suspects to justice. The damaged area lies within the Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.