Crime Court Jails 2 Karen Women for Illegal Gold Prospecting

[Georgealbert]

 

Pictures courtesy of Matichon.

 

The Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court, Kanchanaburi, has sentenced two Karen women to prison after convicting them of illegally digging for gold inside a national park and reserved forest.

 

The court ruled in the case of Ms. Dawarn, 30 and Ms. Powah, 31, both members of the Karen ethnic minority from Ban Mai Rai Pa village in Thong Pha Phum District, Kanchanaburi.

 

Both women were charged with offences under the Forest Act 1941, the National Reserved Forest Act 1964 and the National Park Act 2019. They were each given six-year jail terms without suspension, which were later halved to three years after they confessed.

 

The court also ordered the confiscation of items of equipment used in the illegal activity, including plastic bags filled with soil samples, head torches, knives, hammocks and sacks. In addition, the pair must pay 9,420 baht in damages, plus interest, to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

 

Arrest and Evidence

 

Their arrest followed a joint operation on 29 March this year, when park rangers, district officials and soldiers from the Surasi Task Force raided a site in Pilok Ki forest after receiving reports of illegal mining.

 

The suspects were found with soil believed to contain gold, along with tools for panning and excavation. Officials seized the materials and detained both women, who later appeared in court.

 

Mr. Yutthapong Damsrisuk, head of Thong Pha Phum National Park, confirmed the successful prosecution and noted that the case had been closely monitored by local authorities due to growing concerns about illegal gold prospecting in the area.

 

Measures Against Illegal Mining

 

Thong Pha Phum District Chief, Mr. Chakhrit Tanpirun, said the women’s sentences should serve as a warning to others. He confirmed that the district would also consider revoking their national ID cards, in accordance with Kanchanaburi provincial directives concerning residents engaged in unlawful activities.

 

Mr. Chakhrit added that illegal gold panning has become increasingly common in the Pilok and Khwae Noi River areas, where groups of people enter protected forest land in search of profit. He warned that such activity damages ecosystems, threatens biodiversity, and undermines both local livelihoods and national economic stability.

 

Community Involvement

 

The district has now issued urgent letters to shopkeepers and merchants in surrounding villages, including Bo Ong, Pilok Ki and Koeng Kae Lae, urging them not to purchase gold suspected of being mined illegally. Those caught trading in such minerals risk prosecution under the Mineral Act 2017, which carries penalties of up to one year in prison or fines of three to five times the value of the minerals.

 

Officials further reminded the public of other legal restrictions under forestry, national park and mining legislation, with offences such as unauthorised exploration, mining or altering land and waterways carrying penalties of up to 20 years in prison or fines of up to two million baht.

 

Call for Vigilance

 

Authorities have appealed to the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity or attempts to sell illegally mined gold.

 

“This problem causes serious damage not only to the environment but also to social and economic stability,” Mr. Chakhrit said. “We will continue to enforce the law strictly to protect the natural resources of Thong Pha Phum.”

 

Related article:

https://aseannow.com/topic/1356264-authorities-crack-down-on-illegal-gold-mining-in-pilok-forest/

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Matichon 2025-09-04