Chiang Mai: People who start forest fires face tough penalties

[webfact]

People who start forest fires face tough penalties

CHIANG MAI: -- Two Karen tribesmen were separately caught starting forest fires in Mae Wang and Chaiprakarn districts of Chiang Mai on Thursday.

The two suspects, 54-year old Korshi Lerpor and 79-year old Arhaeyo Muenkham, were later separately taken to Mae Wang and Chaiprakarn district police stations for interrogation.

Meanwhile, local officials who include kamnans, village heads and health volunteers were ordered by the provincial governor to be on the alert to watch out for forest fires and to warn local villagers not to burn their harvested crops, tree branches or trash.

Violation will be liable to 2-15 years imprisonment and/or a fine from 20,000 to 150,000 baht.

Bounties have also been offered to anyone who give information to authorities leading up to the arrest of arsonists who start forest fires.

The measures are parts of Chiang Mai provincial administration’s strategy to ease smog problem from forest fires which tend to worsen during the dry season. The air quality in the province has dropped in the aftermath of the cold season.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/151499


-- Thai PBS 2016-02-19

[clockman]

Easy to pick on hill tribe, What about C.P.!

[Toany]

Meanwhile the sugar cane farmers are paid for the crops they burn in their fields further south. Some nights it is difficult to breath because of the smoke.

[Katipo]

For every 1 illegal forest fire, there are 1,000 farmers burning their fields.

[maderaroja]

Also, no report number for violations.

[tomyumchai]

Easy to pick on hill tribe, What about C.P.!

in this instance i dont give a <deleted> about the hilltribes when they do this mindless shit. i saw 1 start a fire on the side of a mountain in tub tao. you couldnt grow anything up there unless you hung off the side on ropes.

it burned for days and destroyed a large part of the forest for absolutely no gain to farmers at all. so yes, punish the shit out of them, they need to be educated.

[chinostar]

Will they control the big companies? Don't think so! Window dressing policies as usual.

[BB24]

They always have and always will (in our lifetimes) - tribes and farmers and mushroom gatherers. For us the only solution was to leave. Recommend anyone with breathing problems to move - south best, but there some parts of CM better than others - sometimes.

[Lampang2]

Easy to pick on hill tribe, What about C.P.!

in this instance i dont give a <deleted> about the hilltribes when they do this mindless shit. i saw 1 start a fire on the side of a mountain in tub tao. you couldnt grow anything up there unless you hung off the side on ropes.

it burned for days and destroyed a large part of the forest for absolutely no gain to farmers at all. so yes, punish the shit out of them, they need to be educated.

Amen.

[Jonmarleesco]

'Violation will be liable to 2-15 years imprisonment and/or a fine from 20,000 to 150,000 baht.' If they actually imposed these penalties, they wouldn't now be having these conversations with the locals.​

[hutchings1963]

Where are the coppers to do this,all i see is them playing games on there phones

[khunyod]

Two Karen, a 54-year-old and a 79-year-old. This is the typical face of Thai justice. Likely to be beaten and forced to sign a confession they cannot read. Like the old folks sentenced to 15 years in prison for picking mushrooms in the forest. Anyone who thinks this is actual justice or will make a real difference in Thailand needs their head examined.

[connda]

[Toany]

and the sugar cane farmers are paid to burn their fields. The crop can easily be harvested with machines.