Songkhla — A combined task force seized 168 illegal logs with an estimated value of 10 million baht from Khao Nam Khang National Park in Sadao district on Monday.
The discovery was made as a 30-strong team of park officials and soldiers from Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) Region 4's Forward Command raided a forested area at Moo 10 village of Ban Thoong Jung in Samnak Taew sub-district in the afternoon following a tip-off. Officials found no one there.
Of the total 168 felled trees of a dozen species, 18 were large and expensive hardwood trees including Takian (iron wood), Saya Dang (red meranti) and Yarng Dang (gurjun) about 10-30m long and estimated to be almost 100 years old.
Col Chaiwit Pimpthong, deputy head of an intelligence division under the Isoc Region 4's Forward Command, said the team could not arrest any suspects because members of an illegal logging gang hired locals to alert them before authorities arrived.
It was likely that investors and processing plants paid the locals to fell the trees for them, he said.
Officials were collecting evidence and investigating further to identify the suspects and their employers, Col Chaiwit added.
