Illegal rosewood logging situation is critical in Thailand

[webfact]

Illegal rosewood logging situation is critical in Thailand
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, July 1 -- The demand for illegally-logged rosewood internationally has led to the soaring growth of criminal activity in Thailand with prices as much as Bt1 million per cubic meter.

Nipon Chotibal, acting director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, told a press conference this morning that the problem was critical in Thailand's northeast and eastern regions which contain the last rosewood stands worldwide.

illegal rosewood logging in Thailand received substantial financial support complete with heavily armed loggers and dealers offering increasingly higher prices for the rare wood.

"Local prices are Bt500,000-600,000 per cubic meter and its export price is as much as Bt1 million per cubic meter, so illegal rosewood logging is highly attractive," Mr Nipon said.

So far this year, 1,930 illegal rosewood loggers have been arrested and 92,957 rosewood logs have been seized. There were 244 arrests in June, increasing by some 80 cases from May, Mr Nipon said.

The National Council for Peace and Order's policy to protect national forests encouraged all parties to cooperate on illegal rosewood logging suppression. Arrests could be made swiftly and the culprits could not be tipped off to flee in advance, he said. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-07-01

[ratcatcher]

It would seem that the Rosewood is an endangered species of tree. Shoot the illegal loggers on sight if in a National Forest after due prior publicized warnings.

[Jeremy50]

........as the human race puts its final touches on the death of the planet.

[EyesWideOpen]

A million baht for a cubic meter of rosewood ?? Hmm here is an idea. How about the

Thai government planting a whole bunch of rosewood trees ?? Just a thought.....

Edited July 1, 2014 by EyesWideOpen

[renaissanc]

The solution is easy:

1. Loggers will be shot on sight.

2. Those arrested alive will be given the death sentence if proven guilty of involvement.

3. If in doubt of conviction, revert to (1).

The logging will stop very quickly.

[Oziex1]

Why is this wood so valuable, what is it used for?

[fxe1200]

Why is this wood so valuable, what is it used for?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosewood

[monkeycountry]

The solution is easy:

1. Loggers will be shot on sight.

2. Those arrested alive will be given the death sentence if proven guilty of involvement.

3. If in doubt of conviction, revert to (1).

The logging will stop very quickly.

While I support your solution in principle, it does not work. Africa has tried, but all it does is increase the risk for poachers, which in turn increases the price of Ivory, enabling the poachers to buy even more men and guns - they even have helicopters, which in turn increases the risk for the park rangers. Sadly elephants and Rhinos will be game over soon, and apparently so will Rosewood.

[kuiburi]

^{I planted rosewood seedlings , just my bit of effort for the species .}

^{They cost 50 baht each at our local store .}

^{Will take ages to grow big , but since I have kids they can enjoy the trees when big .}

[Thai at Heart]

It would seem that the Rosewood is an endangered species of tree. Shoot the illegal loggers on sight if in a National Forest after due prior publicized warnings.

If they are foreign loggers that's what they reportedly do on the cambodian border.

[submaniac]

I know it's not ecologically correct, but it is a beautiful wood

...especially on a stratocaster.