Illicit logging operation across borders dismantled in Nong Khai
In a significant development, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) led a raid on an Amazon-like warehouse in Nong Khai, Thailand. The operation was part of an extended investigation into a transnational timber trafficking network. The warehouse, belonging to Chen Tai International Co and owned by foreign investors, was found to have been exporting Pradu rosewood, also known as Burmese rosewood, to key markets for luxury furniture such as China and Vietnam. The seized timber amounted to 32.55 cubic metres and weighed approximately 28 tonnes, with an estimated market value of 14 million baht. The investigation revealed that the network operated with a high level of sophistication, involving government officials from various agencies who allegedly facilitated the illegal trade. An official chart was found detailing Chinese and Vietnamese investors involved in the illegal logging network in Nong Khai, although the specific individuals have not been publicly named. The total volume of timber exported was estimated at 2,053 cubic metres, worth about 1.23 billion baht. The seized timber was smuggled out of Thailand via 10-wheel trucks through Laos or exported through Leam Chabang port in shipping containers. Small pickup trucks were used to extract timber from remote forests in the North before it was transported to the Amazon-like warehouse in the Northeast. Corrupt officials would not be let off the hook, according to DNP chief Attapol Charoenchansa. He stated that the investigation would continue to arrest those involved, including masterminds, operators, and facilitators of the illegal timber trade. The operation against the timber trafficking network is not just about seizing illegal timber, but also about dismantling the networks behind illegal logging, which poses a threat to Thailand's forest resources and ecosystems. The documents from the warehouse suggest that the network harvested the Pradu rosewood illegally from protected and reserved forests. This illegal activity not only undermines Thailand's conservation efforts but also contributes to the global deforestation crisis. The raid was attended by DNP chief Attapol Charoenchansa, Nong Khai deputy governor Paithoon Muahachuenjai, representatives from the DSI, and other related agencies. The operation marks a significant step forward in the fight against illegal logging and the preservation of Thailand's valuable forest resources.
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