Illegal rosewood trade still rampant in Isaan

[webfact]

Illegal rosewood trade still rampant in Northeast



KHON KAEN: -- Illegal Siamese rosewood logging is still rampant in Thailand’s northeastern province, particularly in the Phu Wieng National Reserve in Khon Kaen province.

The illegal logging reached critical level that forestry officials are unable to cope with the situation as the incidence of illegal logging of the trees has increased many fold and local villagers and workers have been hired to partake in the trade.

Rampant logging centers in the Phu Wieng National Reserve in Wieng Kao district.

It has become the central focus of attention as it is through this area that illegal loggers transport rosewood.

Authorities said the route through this area is the one most used as it is the most convenient.

Statistics for the year reveal that within just a period of three months, 50 cases of illegal logging and transportation of rosewood have been uncovered.

They said this number is close to beating the statistics for the whole of the previous year which was at 60 cases.

But looking back four years, there was only one case of illegal smuggling and logging of rosewood trees.

Forestry authorities said in the past, smugglers would transport the wood during night time or very early in the dawn hours but recently they have brazenly taken to transporting the wood in broad daylight.

Small gangs have now become a whole network of smugglers with whole villages being employed. It has become so lucrative that relatives and family members who had moved away to find work have now been called back to participate in the trade.

The district chief and the head of the Phu Wieng National Reserve have voiced concerns on the situation saying that the situation has reached critical levels and is becoming out of control.

The problem, they say, is that the returns are lucrative while the penalties are menial.

Wieng Kao district officer Petchpong Jiwanant said the penalty for illegal logging of rosewood trees is very insignificant.

After being sentenced, the smugglers serve a small jail time and a very small fine. Serving out their sentence, these smugglers are well looked after by businessmen who also pay their fines.

The national reserve chief said rosewood trade has become a lucrative family concern for many villagers with whole families taking part.

There are other concerns contributing to the boom in trade of rosewood trees such as widespread corruption with exorbitant bribes being offered to officials to conceal transport routes and a reputed Vietnamese businessman who is in close cooperation with a high ranking Vietnamese military officer serving as his main agent.

He cited a recent case in which two village headman had been forced to relinquish their positions for taking a 50,000 Baht bribe to allow trucks carrying rosewoods trees to pass through the Sri Wieng security check-point.

This village headman for example, has been threatened many times and many bribes have been offered both to him and the rapid response security force sometimes as much as 200,000 Baht for them to turn a blind eye to the proceedings.

In the past nine month period, rosewood trees have categorized in the 2nd roster under the CITES Agreement.

Under the agreement, exportation of rosewood trees must contain documentation from the country of origin as well the country which they are bound. It was believed that such measures would help control the rosewood trade but thus far has served as no detriment to illegal traders of the Siamese rosewood.

Source: MCOT

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/illegal-rosewood-trade-still-rampant-northeast/


-- Thai PBS 2014-03-29

[bangon04]

"The problem, they say, is that the returns are lucrative while the penalties are menial."

well ain't that the truth....

On the other hand, when all the trees are gone, and villagers die in a massive mudslide every week, will they blame global warming again?

[Trouble]

Send it the military and stop it. Maybe that is something the military could do correctly. Maybe a couple of dead smugglers would give others a hint. Oops, that might offend the sensibilities of some of you. Meanwhile humans are once again laying more waste to the planet.

[Donnie Brasco]

As if the arboreal devastation is not bad enough, some local "craftsman" will now saw these rather spindly forest remains into workable dimensions.

He'll then turn out some hideously uncomfortable Chinese chair or credenza or liquor cabinet or "jewellery armoire" and inlay it with mother-of-pearl chips and splinters.

"Sometimes, 'fuggedabowdit' just means fuggedabowdit. . . . "

[brianP]

They are so short termed in their thinking. They could give a rats ass about future generations. That picture makes me sick.

[khwaibah]

Send it the military and stop it. Maybe that is something the military could do correctly. Maybe a couple of dead smugglers would give others a hint. Oops, that might offend the sensibilities of some of you. Meanwhile humans are once again laying more waste to the planet.

Sounds like you need more groups like this from the Department of National Parks,Wildlife and Plant Conservation. This group was taken a lunch break and are active on the Thai/Cambodia border.

[Donnie Brasco]

The rationale and the argument are always the same: "Who not need money ? Who not like money ?"

And then: "Same in your country. Same in every country"

And, you know ? They're right. They're no better or worse than any of our respective home states.

The Danes and Scandinavia were largely responsible for stripping out old growth teak forests in the region.

If one needs to speculate on what this topography will resemble in 50 years one channels Bangladesh, Greece and the Mississippi delta.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited March 30, 2014 by Donnie Brasco

[sae57]

The apparant timing on the surge in illegal logging corresponds roughly with the failure to make rice payments. In my neck of the woods, rural Roi Et, the entire economy is collapsing, farmers have no cash, so the vendors can't sell their goods; Some are sold out as they've had to sell on credit and now have no capital to resupply stores. People still have rice kept back for personal use, fish in the ponds, chickens in the yard, so no one's starving yet. The first push against illegal logging would seem to be creating other, more sustainable means of generating income--including agricultural price supports that actually function.

--S