Antimony ore mining in Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi will not be allowed

The National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department will not allow Moniko Co. to return to mine antimony ore in a fertile forest which is part of Thung Yai Naresuan (ทุ่งใหญ่นเรศวร) Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi Province.

Department chief Damrong Pidej (ดำรง พิเดช) said operations at the mine, which is located in a 70,000-rai forest, has been stopped for almost a decade but the company now wants to re-open it, saying the concession will not expire until 2007 and that some workers have already been sent there.

Mr. Damrong said he will use environment-related laws to bar mining of all kinds of minerals in the wildlife sanctuary which is a world heritage. He said mining can affect the health of local villagers and damage the environment.

Mr. Damrong also called on other agencies concerned, including the Forestry Department, to stop granting mining concessions in forestry areas.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 12 July 2006

Mining in Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi is completely banned.

The National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation and the Royal Forest departments do not allow Moniko Co. Ltd. to mine antimony ore in Thung Yai Naresuan (ทุ่งใหญ่นเรศวร) Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi.

Caretaker Natural Resource and Environment Minister Youngyuth Tiyapairat (ยงยุทธ ติยะไพรัช) said the Royal Forest Department has reported that the permit for the mining firm to use the land in that forest had already expired while the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department also did not allow the company to go into the forest either.

Mr. Yongyuth said he has ordered officials to tightly guard the area to prevent the transport of mining equipment into the protected forest.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 13 July 2006