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BKK POST: SALWEEN SCANDAL / FORESTR
- Subject: BKK POST: SALWEEN SCANDAL / FORESTR
- From: suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 13 Mar 1998 04:45:00
March 13, 1998
SALWEEN SCANDAL / FORESTRY CHIEF FEELS
THE HEAT
Sathit ready to be
removed
Department officials to be investigated
Chakrit Ridmontri
Forestry Department chief Sathit Sawintara said yesterday he is
ready to be removed if the Ministry of Agriculture's investigation
finds he was involved in massive illegal logging in Salween
National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in Mae Hong Son.
"If the investigation finds that I'm wrong, I'm ready to face the
consequences,' said Mr Sathit. "I have no objection if my
superiors want me removed to an inactive post.'
Mr Sathit is likely to be upset with the ministry, which appointed
another committee to investigate departmental officials suspected
of involvement in illegal logging in the protected areas.
The committee chaired by the agriculture permanent secretary,
Tweesackdi Sesawesh, was set up after the preceding panel in
charge of investigating the bribery case of deputy forestry chief
Prawat Thanadkha found that a number of forestry officials had
colluded in the Salween scandal.
Mr Tweesackdi said that the top forestry official must also be
responsible for the Salween scandal due to his "failure in
governing inferiors'.
He said: "Mr Sathit may not know everything in the department
because his inferiors failed to report to him about the situation in
the area. But records of the forestry chief's performance will
make clear his involvement in the scandal.'
He added that he has yet to be convinced that Mr Sathit was
wrong.
Agriculture Minister Pongpol Adireksarn said the committee
investigating Mr Prawat's case would hand him the summary
report today. He would reveal the result of the investigation on
Monday.
Mr Prawat suffered a serious setback when his good intention in
donating a five million baht kickback to Prime Minister Chuan
Leekpai turned to hurt himself.
Mr Chuan objected to the offer and requested an investigation
into the source of the bribe money. A police investigation
subsequently found that Mr Prawat himself asked for the bribe
from a saw miller in compensation for the release of 13,000 logs
that Mr Prawat seized in Tak.
Mr Pongpol called for an investigation into whether Mr Prawat
was breaking the civil service code in passing on the bribe to the
premier without notifying his immediate boss.
According to Mr Sathit, one more committee would have to be
established if Mr Prawat was guilty. It would be overseeing the
punishment.
Meanwhile, the Agriculture, Interior and Defence ministries are
joining forces to suppress forest encroachment in protected
areas.
Chanasak Yuwaboon, permanent secretary of interior, said
representatives of the three ministries met yesterday to plan how
to tackle the encroachment.
Mr Chanasak blamed a cabinet resolution of April 22, 1997
which allows forest encroachers to live and farm in protected
areas.
The resolution was launched at a mobile cabinet meeting in
Wong Nam Khiew district during the administration of Gen
Chavalit Yongchaiyudh.
"The resolution only allows encroachers to stay put, not to
further encroach on deep forests. But in fact, nobody seems to
care,' said Mr Chanasak.
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Last Modified: Fri, Mar 13, 1998