Thai logging crackdown nets 18 Cambodians

[geovalin]

Eighteen Cambodians were arrested by Thai authorities last week after being caught illegally felling Siamese rosewood trees in a Thai national park in Nakhon Ratchasima province. A group of Thai park rangers raided the group’s operation in Thap Lan National Park and arrested them while seizing 99 planks of rosewood on Tuesday.

 

According to media reports, the suspects claimed they had been hired by an unnamed Thai businessman to cross into Thailand illegally and log the wood before transporting it back to Cambodia. The operation allegedly consisted of at least 45 men, with the others still at large.

 

Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Chum Sounry could not be reached for comment yesterday. In the past, Mr Sounry has said Thailand always cooperates and deports Cambodians when they are only caught crossing the border illegally – but almost always prosecutes them in Thailand once they commit crimes.

 

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