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BKK POST: SALWEEN SCANDAL / FORESTR



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