Five loggers ‘killed by Thai forces’

[geovalin]

Cheang Sokha

Thai authorities gunned down at least five Cambodian nationals who crossed into the neighbouring kingdom to illegally log during the first half of this year, government figures suggest.

The figures were discussed during a meeting of officials on Tuesday at the Cambodian-Thai Border Relations Office in Poipet town.

Poipet office chief Pich Vann said in the first half of 2015, Thai authorities conducted 15 crackdowns, which saw five Cambodians killed and one injured.

read more: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/five-loggers-killed-thai-forces

[soalbundy]

I presume that the loggers were unarmed and that a warning was given first to halt and surrender which they ignored and then threatened the brave soldiers with their saws.

[slipperylobster]

I presume that the loggers were unarmed and that a warning was given first to halt and surrender which they ignored and then threatened the brave soldiers with their saws.

poachers never carry weapons?

[allan michaud]

While I am against illegal logging this is outright murder by the Thai's. They clearly have a shoot to kill policy. I am sure they have fun using them for shooting practice. There have been quite literally hundreds shot by the Thai military over the past 3-4 years, it is quite outrageous and yet no one seems to care.

[Brit_Doggie]

Illegally logging ok not shoot slap their wrists and so they come back again, hull no justice was served.

[soalbundy]

I presume that the loggers were unarmed and that a warning was given first to halt and surrender which they ignored and then threatened the brave soldiers with their saws.

poachers never carry weapons?

They were loggers for Gods sake, not drug smugglers.

[soalbundy]

Illegally logging ok not shoot slap their wrists and so they come back again, hull no justice was served.

you hug trees don't you ? and looking at the syntax of your post you aren't fond of reading.

[inzman]

Illegal logging is a job reserved for Thais! Don't these fools know better.

[samthefish]

I presume that the loggers were unarmed and that a warning was given first to halt and surrender which they ignored and then threatened the brave soldiers with their saws.

No,they shoot to kill.My BIL hid in the jungle for 3 days after 5 of his logging friends were shot,all Thais.

They all know the rules,pays just too good to resist.

[ggt]

Another international incident has been avoided...the Cambodian logger's testimony will be forever entombed with them...

[Srikcir]

Interesting use of the term "Thai authorities."

As opposed to Thai soldiers, police, or even security officers. Who exactly is in charge of these authorities and what is their authority to "gun down" timber poachers? It feels more like one party is protecting its territory from other poachers than any legal law enforcement action.

Edited August 6, 2015 by Srikcir

[raybal5]

They were loggers for Gods sake, not drug smugglers.

Loggers are destroying the mature trees that are vital to the ecosystems and the production of oxygen and removal of carbon from the atmosphere. If they were logging legally and properly managed that is one thing but to do so without any approvals and damaging the environment is not a matter for a slap on the wrist. Jail is probably more appropriate however death is the next best thing.

Edited August 6, 2015 by raybal5

[Ghostnigel]

I presume that the loggers were unarmed and that a warning was given first to halt and surrender which they ignored and then threatened the brave soldiers with their saws.

they had weapons, i have seen the gunfight on facebook, but now cannot find it on there to link it.

[soalbundy]

I presume that the loggers were unarmed and that a warning was given first to halt and surrender which they ignored and then threatened the brave soldiers with their saws.

they had weapons, i have seen the gunfight on facebook, but now cannot find it on there to link it.

In which case i stand corrected.

[Ghostnigel]

While I am against illegal logging this is outright murder by the Thai's. They clearly have a shoot to kill policy. I am sure they have fun using them for shooting practice. There have been quite literally hundreds shot by the Thai military over the past 3-4 years, it is quite outrageous and yet no one seems to care.

They were armed, so you want the Thais to be shot defending their territory? If its left to get out of hand, worse things would happen with the forestation being taken away....WE could even die with climate changes it would cause, maybe killer floods etc.

the trees are there doing a job, no trees, no people, seriously.

[Jimlove]

I presume that the loggers were unarmed and that a warning was given first to halt and surrender which they ignored and then threatened the brave soldiers with their saws.

poachers never carry weapons?

They were loggers for Gods sake, not drug smugglers.

Agree ... Meanwhile thais get away with killing people on the roads using a car, almost every time drunk as a skunk - 500B fine ...

Try to get your priorities straight Thailand - if you know what that Word Means ...

[Tomtomtom69]

While I don't agree with extra-judicial executions, I can see why the Thai authorities are angry about this. These foreigners, from a neighboring country with historically bad relations with Thailand no less come in here and cut down the nation's treasured resources. That is not a crime that should be punished lightly.

For more insight into what other nearby countries are doing to illegal foreign loggers caught cutting down trees in their country, head over to the Myanmar forum on TV and search for articles on the 155 Chinese loggers who were sentenced to life imprisonment. While in the end they were released and deported within days of being caught due to a combination of a prisoner amnesty and Chinese pressure, it goes to show that some nations in this region are quite serious about enforcing their environmental laws.

Though Thailand is hardly an environmental utopia, it's environmental protection laws ARE indeed much better than ultra-corrupt Cambodia and Laos.