My suspicions may be wrong, so interested in views from forum members.

 

Was riding on Highway 3 from Trat, through Chanthaburi and towards Rayong and noticed streams of heavily laden, 6-wheel trucks with logs from mature trees.  The logs were mostly around 40-70cm wide, so they were old trees.

 

Most the trucks had no number plates, but one had an old, battered Cambodian plate.

 

Do you think it could be illegal logging in Cambodia being smuggled into Thailand?

 

I was on the bike, and phone was in a clamp on the bars, so didn't get a photo, but there must have been over 30 large trucks plus 20 or so pick-ups, all in very poor condition (missing glass, battered rusting heaps).

 

Sad to see destruction of the few remaining rain forests in SE Asia, and I also bet the drivers didn't Test and Go if they crossed the border.

30 minutes ago, Kinnock said:

interested in views from forum members.

My view is to stay out of Thai/Local neighbor business. If they are illegal, they almost surely have protection from high up officials locally......move along and pretend you did not see a thing

Could be as sinple as a road widening scheme or other construction project and clearance of the roadside trees. Regular occurrence.

Not everything is sinister. ????

 

If it was illegal logging I am  pretty sure they would cover the loads and possibly not move them around in broad daylight.

Probably from the Pursat area which is being gentrified. The Koh Kong (border) area was logged long ago. I too wonder about the Covid status of the Khmer drivers at a time when the border is closed.

 

6 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

If it was illegal logging I am  pretty sure they would cover the loads and possibly not move them around in broad daylight.

If they can get around import restrictions, customs controls, COVID controls and traffic laws, I don't think they will care who can see their activities?

 

The pick up trucks in particular were spectacularly unroadworthy.  Twisted chassis, missing body panels, no glass (one even had no windscreen), no lights, no registration plates. 

 

It was the row of knackered pick-ups that first made me curious - Thai people tend to look after their trucks, so a fleet of bent, rusted bangers looked unusual.  

 

I agree that trying to take direct action myself would be unwise, especially as my suspicions may be wrong, but I'll try to get photos on my next trip, and see if an environmental group may want to investigate further.

3 hours ago, jobsworth said:

Probably from the Pursat area which is being gentrified. The Koh Kong (border) area was logged long ago. I too wonder about the Covid status of the Khmer drivers at a time when the border is closed.

 

Interesting .... I see there's been some news reports about the Cambodian military being involved in illegal logging in this area.

Dangerous business, family have a 'gig' in that industry, one of their competitors (now much larger) rose from nothing, to something major, all the brothers, cousins, uncles etc are in the police or government, chick that fronts is doing pretty well..., tens of thousands of rai stripped annually, whilst buying rubber etc from all the local farm holdings, mixes in the exotics like teak etc from the mountains... (wild forests).

 

Best to just stay clear... it's a risky business with the price fluctuations when acting legally, far riskier for a observer when its a shady business....