Timber poacher caught the act in forest reserve

Timber poacher caught the act in forest reserve

Chuan Thian-ngern is caught illegally cutting krayaloei trees and processing the wood inside a forest reserve in Phitsanulok on July 29.  (Photo by Chinnawat Singha)
Chuan Thian-ngern is caught illegally cutting krayaloei trees and processing the wood inside a forest reserve in Phitsanulok on July 29. (Photo by Chinnawat Singha)

Authorities on Wednesday seized 23 illegally-cut <i>krayaloei</i> tree logs and many processed wood planks, and arrested a man during a raid on a forest reserve in Phitsanulok’s Wat Bot district.

A combined team of forestry officials and police led by Ittipol Prathueng, head of a forest protection unit in this northern province, arrested the log poacher while he was processing wood in an upper area of Kwai Noi Bamrung Daen dam, which is part of Kwai Noi forest reserve in Wat Bot district.

Seized from him were 23 krayaloei logs, 83 processed wood planks, two motor saws, an airsoft gun and eight other items.

The suspect, identified as Chuan Thian-ngern, confessed that he had illegally cut trees in the area near the dam and processed the wood for sale. Leftover timber would be burned for charcoal.

Mr Chuan was held on charges of violating the Forestry Act by illegally felling trees of a protected  species and of violating the Forest Reserve Act by illegally processing wood in a forest reserve. The suspect was later handed over to local police for legal action.

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