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BKK POST: Chuan wants logging ta
- Subject: BKK POST: Chuan wants logging ta
- From: suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 20 Feb 1998 04:59:00
February 20, 1998
Chuan wants
logging talks with
Burma
Ministry also urged to discuss Karens
Bhanravee Tansubhapol Temsak Trisophon
Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai has instructed the Foreign
Ministry to raise illegal logging at the Salween Wildlife Sanctuary
with the Burmese government, ministry spokesman Kobsak
Chutikul said yesterday.
According to Mr Kobsak, the prime minister recently instructed
the ministry to find out whether Burmese authorities were aware
the wood from the sanctuary was transported to the Burmese
side for despatch back into Thailand.
Mr Chuan also instructed the ministry to negotiate for relocation
further inside Burma of Karens encamped near the border, who
are said to have been involved in illegal logging activities, he
added.
The ministry is to liaise with foreign non-government
organisations which are in touch with the Karens to dissuade
them from such activities.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra is expected to
raise the issue when he visits Burma next month, the spokesman
said. To this end, M.R. Sukhumbhand yesterday instructed the
East Asian Department and the Thai embassy in Rangoon to
prepare Thailand's position for the discussions.
Mr Kobsak acknowledged the Salween illegal logging was an
internal affair of Thailand. However, he said, talks are needed
with the Burmese government because the incident involved the
use of Burmese territory and nationals. Karens are encamped at
five sites near the wildlife sanctuary, he added.
The prime minister is also trying to prevent a recurrence of the
incident, he said.
Meanwhile, logging companies are asking the Interior Ministry to
open four Thai-Burmese border passes in Mae Hong Son
province temporarily for them to "import" logs into Thailand, but
the minister is rejecting them.
A ministry source identified the firms as B&P Goodrich,
Phonphana, Songkhroh Sahai Ruamrob, and SKA-B.
There have been allegations illegal logging in the Salween forests
are undertaken by dumping Thai logs into the bordering Salween
River only to be claimed as Burmese wood for "import" back
into Thailand.
The four border passes are in Ban Mae Sarm Lab in Sob Moei
district, Ban Mae Sapaytai in Khun Yuam district, Ban Sao Hin
in Mae Sariang district, and Ban Nai Soi in Muang district.
The logging companies claimed to have Burmese authorities'
documents permitting the delivery of "Burmese" logs, and to have
already received an agreement from Thailand's National Security
Council for such imports.
However, the source said it was strange for those companies to
receive such Burmese documents because the Burmese
government had already banned all exports of its logs, and the
Thai Interior Ministry consequently closed all border passes late
last year.
Interior Minister Sanan Kachornprasart said he repeated an
order yesterday for border officials to strictly close all those
Thai-Burmese border passes, and for customs officials to block
all attempts to "import" Burmese logs.
"All the documents (permitting the delivery of Burmese logs) are
fake," he said.
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Last Modified: Fri, Feb 20, 1998