Sunday, last day of Songkran, Bangkok Post:

"Third Army officials based at Doi Tung think the fires may be the latest strategies of drug traffickers (they have evidence in two cases)-diversionary tactics to send authorities scrambling while they bring heroin and amphetamines over the border or bury them along the region's main transport routes.

Others believe the blazes are being set by the region's newly educated, uniquely brash breed of hill tribe teens (besides tendencies to drink, smoke, and ride around on motorbikes, some are said to abuse their parents) on a rebellious streak.

Other speculate it's profit-hungry businessman on the outside paying villagers to conduct burn-offs and grow crops on the inside. Some villagers had even suggested that it is the fire fighters themselves, who despite having not been paid since last October, are starting them as a means of job security (Puangroi found this one particularly absurd).

The theory which seems to be the most often circulated, but also the most vaguely discussed, is that a group of individuals has a conflict with some authority, official policy, or other force that they have no means to fight other than by setting fires. A number of figures interviewed acknowledged that various authorities will unfairly harass hill tribe villagers, simply because they have the power to do so. "

Wow - that last one really says something...

I heard one story a few years back that a certain species of mushroom will only grow after a fire .. and the mushrooms are expensive.

I heard is was not like that at all. Something to do with budgets and payments (wink wink)...

Sunday, last day of Songkran, Bangkok Post:

"Third Army officials based at Doi Tung think the fires may be the latest strategies of drug traffickers (they have evidence in two cases)-diversionary tactics to send authorities scrambling while they bring heroin and amphetamines over the border or bury them along the region's main transport routes.

Others believe the blazes are being set by the region's newly educated, uniquely brash breed of hill tribe teens (besides tendencies to drink, smoke, and ride around on motorbikes, some are said to abuse their parents) on a rebellious streak.

Other speculate it's profit-hungry businessman on the outside paying villagers to conduct burn-offs and grow crops on the inside. Some villagers had even suggested that it is the fire fighters themselves, who despite having not been paid since last October, are starting them as a means of job security (Puangroi found this one particularly absurd).

The theory which seems to be the most often circulated, but also the most vaguely discussed, is that a group of individuals has a conflict with some authority, official policy, or other force that they have no means to fight other than by setting fires. A number of figures interviewed acknowledged that various authorities will unfairly harass hill tribe villagers, simply because they have the power to do so. "

Wow - that last one really says something...

As an Australian I'm aware that anywhere with a hot dry season has bushfires as part of the annual cycle. There are certainly Australian trees and shrubs that need fire for their seeds to germinate. Having said that, fires and human settlement don't get along, nomads don't have a problem, they just move out the way but man the house builder cannot.

Firelighting as a criminal act has a long and complex history; the motives can be as diverse as revenge and sexual gratification.

Sexual gratification? Brings a whole new meaning to the question "Do you smoke after sex?"

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Sexual gratification? Brings a whole new meaning to the question "Do you smoke after sex?"

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Sexual gratification? Brings a whole new meaning to the question "Do you smoke after sex?"

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Yes. A small percentage of arsonists actually masturbate at the crime scene.

Sexual gratification? Brings a whole new meaning to the question "Do you smoke after sex?"

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Yes. A small percentage of arsonists actually masturbate at the crime scene.

Man this must be te hottest sex.

I heard one story a few years back that a certain species of mushroom will only grow after a fire .. and the mushrooms are expensive.

That is the 'Tut' mushroom, and the fire helps its later growth, but they grow after Rain...