More Deforestation In Phuket

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More deforestation in Phuket

Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop (right) and MNRE Inspector General Monthip Sriratana Tabucanon talk to reporters at the site of the latest assault on Phuket's natural environment.

One of the many felled trees at the 100-rai site, located just a short walk from the forestry office.

THALANG, PHUKET: -- Human encroachment has laid waste to more than two-thirds of a large forest reserve in the north of Phuket, it emerged last week.

The Bang Khanoon forest reserve in tambon Thepkrasattri originally covered more than 5,000 rai, but just 1,500 rai of virgin forest remain.

Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop last week accompanied an inspection team from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MNRE) to the site of the latest devastation.

Led by MNRE Inspector General Monthip Sriratana Tabucanon, the team were in Phuket to witness firsthand the extent of the island’s encroachment problem.

After touring other encroached forest areas in Karon and Patong, the team visited a 100-rai plot located inside the reserve and just 300 meters from the Bang Khanoon Agro-forestry Office.

Many of the trees in the area had already been felled, while others still stood dying.

Encroachers had cut deep rings around the tree trunks, allowing the sap leak out.

This technique kills the trees, making them easier to cut down.

Gov Wichai described the trees as rare and irreplaceable, saying some were more than 80 years old.

“No matter how much we spend on reforestation, [the new trees] will never be worth as much,” he said.

Gov Wichai pleaded with the Phuket people to end encroachment.

“If we ruin our natural resources, tourists will stop coming to our province,” he said.

Dr Monthip said the MNRE had ordered local officials to use aerial photography to detect deforestation on the island.

Any future damage would be reported directly to Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti and subsequent investigations would determine whether local officers were involved, she said.

Figures released by the MNRE’s Phuket office last year showed the rate of forest destruction in Phuket had quadrupled over the last six years.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-01-29

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[MisterMan]

Strange that he was thinking in Monetary terms "No matter how much we spend on reforestation, [the new trees] will never be worth as much"

I hope it is just something that got lost in the translation.

I would be thinking about many other things but certainly not that the new trees are not worth as much.

[LivinLOS]

Also never is a kind of strange way to put it. Surely if protected in 80 years they are worth what an 80 year old tree is worth..

Anyway thats just language.. The fact a 5000 rai reserve can be encroached to only 1500 is a shocker.

[geriatrickid]

It's not that hard to stop. They know who is cutting the trees, they know who is encroaching and who gave the order to kill the trees. Easily stopped by making it an expensive proposition.

[chiang mai]

A forest of 5,000 rai located just 300 metres from the forestry office has been reduced to just 1,500 rai and this comes as a surprise to the authorities, for the love of dear God!!!!

[MisterMan]

and do they never see trucks leaving with large loads of timbre? Surely their grand CCTV at the bridge might have something? or does it leave by boat? Or is it all going to some fancy estates here?

And also this quote: “If we ruin our natural resources, tourists will stop coming to our province,” he said.

What about having natural resources to have them? Tourist dont come here to go into that forest...

So utterly clueless or guilty.

[JetsetBkk]

I've seen the same thing up in Lampang. Moto-cy's dragging several large planks of wood along the ground, through the village, by very happy guys knowing they can sell each of them for several hundred baht. I've got videos of it and of old trucks piled high with planks cut from the local, dwindling, forest. The whole village is in on it. They even have walkie-talkie radios tuned to the police frequencies - readily available in Lampang town - so they can warn the guys with the chain saws to keep quiet if the police come. No-one gives a dämn about the forest. Easy money.