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BKK Post, March 18, 1998. SALWEEN
- Subject: BKK Post, March 18, 1998. SALWEEN
- From: burma@xxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 01:43:00
March 18, 1998. SALWEEN SCANDAL
Report to PM names 42 state officials
Sanan has details of border pass request
Yuwadee Tunyasiri and Temsak Traisophon
As many as 42 state officials have been named in a report into the
Salween logging scandal handed to the prime minister yesterday.
Outlining the contents, Chuan Leekpai said the 42 were from agencies
responsible for forest protection and timber imports. They included the
Interior Ministry, the military, the Customs, Police and Forestry
departments.
Some officials had violated state regulations and were directly
responsible in allowing illegal logging while others were not involved
but were in positions of accountability, said Mr Chuan.
The findings provide the basis for further disciplinary and criminal
action, he said.
Sanan Kachornprasart, the interior minister, said a number of his
subordinates had been named, among them a top provincial official. He
declined to say if he was referring to Phakdi Chompooming, governor of
Mae Hong Son.
Maj-Gen Sanan said the ministry would take disciplinary action against
them but criminal proceedings would depend on the results of
investigations by Pol Lt-Gen Seri Temiyavej, commissioner of the Central
Investigation Bureau.
An investigatory panel led by Chanasak Yuwaboon, permanent secretary for
Interior, has concluded that officials at different levels of the same
agencies were involved.
Most of the officials, including a governor, were found to have been
negligent at least and had turned a blind eye to the wrongdoings.
The temporary border pass at Ban Mae Samlaeb, in Sop Moei district, Mae
Hong Son, was the sole conduit for Salween logs with Burmese stamps. A
recent written request for the pass to be opened, along with related
documents, is now with Maj-Gen Sanan.
Pongpol Adireksarn, the agriculture minister, has ordered a fresh
disciplinary investigation into Prawat Thanadkha, the deputy
director-general of the Forestry Department at the centre of the
five-million-baht bribe, found by a ministry committee to have colluded
with loggers.
Mr Prawat said his accusers should not forget that the money he had
tried to donate had been brought from his home to Government House by
Noppadol Prueksayawan and Maj-Gen Kittisak Ratprasert. Mr Noppadol was
an adviser to Mr Chuan, and Maj-Gen Kittisak an aide, and they should
also take the blame because it was their idea to bring the money to
Government House.
Charoen Chankomol, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, said Mr
Pongpol should resign for trying to defend Mr Prawat.
"Mr Pongpol had insisted on Mr Prawat's innocence when the bribe scandal
emerged. Now Mr Prawat has been investigated for disciplinary action, Mr
Pongpol should show responsibility by resigning," he added.
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