Kalasin: A 51-year-old woman in Kalasin has lived with the threat of a phayung tree collapsing on her house for three months out of fear of breaking a law which bans people from cutting them down.
Nungruethai Sarapakdi said three months ago while she was watching television with her husband and a nephew, a lightning bolt struck a massive phayung, or Siamese rosewood tree, next to her home. The tree fell, leaning against the roof of her house.
Ms Nuengruethai asked provincial officials to help cut down the tree but they demurred. "I did not want to cut down the tree myself because the law is very strict," she said.
Although the tree had yet to completely collapse the house, she was afraid one day it would. Ms Nuengruethai's family was forced to move out to live with her cousin nearby.
Phayung is listed under Thai law and also the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species as protected.
Thai law says that those found guilty of cutting down phayung face two to five years in prison or must pay a fine of 10,000 baht, or both.
Deputy national police chief Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said he had ordered police to help Ms Nuengruethai get rid of the tree. "If phayung falls naturally, it can be cut," he said. Yesterday the tree was uprooted and Ms Nuengruethai's family moved back home.