PM Yingluck orders probe as raging fires ravage forests

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PM Yingluck orders probe as raging fires ravage forests

Published: 18 Aug 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has ordered a probe into alleged involvement of politicians in widespread bushfires in peat swamp forests in Nakhon Si Thammarat and other provinces.

Swamped in smoke: Thick smoke enshrouds a vast tract of peat swamp forest in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Fires have destroyed more than 15,000 rai of the peat swamp, including part of the Samet Khao cultivation study area of the Chaipattana Foundation. (Photo by Nucharee Rakrun)

The masterminds of the bushfires are "politicians at the national and local levels", said Damrong Pidech, chief of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

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brilliant
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Discussion 23 : 19 Aug 2012 at 00.4423
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android- the only reason anyone is burning the South is because there's not much left to burn in the North and Northeast.
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jgriff
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Discussion 22 : 19 Aug 2012 at 00.2622
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andriod dis 20
Will you say the same for the fires in the north? This is not just the south it happens all over Thailand. Pls for once take off your red glasses.
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drsmith
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Discussion 21 : 18 Aug 2012 at 18.5621
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Thailand is a synonym for corruption.
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android
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Discussion 20 : 18 Aug 2012 at 17.0620
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"The masterminds of the bushfires are "politicians at the national and local levels""

The forest fire occurred in the south. PM ordered the probe into the case. It is easy to guess which political party these politicians belong to.
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genii
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Discussion 19 : 18 Aug 2012 at 16.4819
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Where is the law if there is any. Either you own the land or not. If you do not own the land then you have no right on it. This is not difficult and should be cleaned up nationwide. Get serious with corruption and people who just don't care for anything but their own greed. On the other hand maybe this is simply an accpetable way of life.
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buster
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Discussion 18 : 18 Aug 2012 at 16.0218
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if these fires are indeed man made then what is the point in googeling about who is behind this and why????
DSI is competent enough to arrest the pyromaniacs and squash their employers out of them.

Then prosecute the whole lot (with reenactment an all!)
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oldexp
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Discussion 17 : 18 Aug 2012 at 13.2917
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We have satellites that take pictures that can be mapped.
Publish the maps so nobody will have an excuse.
Whoever plants on these burned grounds goes to jail.
Even the so pitiable poors who play the greed and corruption game and thereby make it possible.
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bluebottle
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Discussion 16 : 18 Aug 2012 at 10.3416
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May be the answer is not to allow the planting of any type of crop in the effected areas. Unfortunately the big C comes in to play so the idea dose not stand a snowballs chance in hell.
Still it is worth a try.Another idea is to prosecute anyone who plant on these areas. Corruption it always comes bock to it. Until something is done about this I am afraid Thailand will suffer more and more.What a shame greed will kill the golden goose in the end.
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dao
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Discussion 15 : 18 Aug 2012 at 10.3115
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Selfish short sighted stupidity displayed on a daily basis by politicians and because they unfortunately serve as role models we can now see ordinary citizens joining in .We need a leader who can lead and tell the difference between right and wrong and punish wrong doers harshly .
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waters
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Discussion 14 : 18 Aug 2012 at 10.0414
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"Provincial officials have declared many areas in Cha-uat and Chian Yai, two of the five districts in Nakhon Si Thammarat now struggling against forest fires, as disaster zones needing urgent help from the government, said Chetsada Watthananurak, head of the province's disaster prevention and mitigation office."

Outside of the toy tablet give-away program , the rice scheme millers & middlemen endowment fund, the somewhat opaque flood prevention fund, and the evergrowing number of new 'study' committees and 'probes', are there any positive varifiable developments underway with this proxy led government? PM Yingluck has ordered a probe to investigate 'alleged involvement of politicians in widespread bushfires in peat swamp forests in Nakhon Si Thammarat and other provinces.' In other words, nothing will be done, and the problem will continue to simmer.
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