BANGKOK, Thailand – The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) has filed criminal charges in a forest encroachment case in Mae Hong Son province, including against a former wildlife sanctuary chief, and has ordered a severe disciplinary investigation into officials linked to the incident. Director-General Athapol Charoenshunsa said the department has been monitoring the case since September 2025, when illegal road construction was discovered within protected forest areas.
Investigations found a temporary road about three meters wide extending 6.6 kilometers through Mae Yuam Fang Khwa Wildlife Sanctuary and another 1.2 kilometers into Salawin Wildlife Sanctuary. Authorities also uncovered more than 329 illegally cut logs of valuable timber, totaling about 156.94 cubic meters. The timber was seized, and a fact-finding committee was established, leading to the reassignment of several officials and formal disciplinary proceedings.
Criminal complaints have been filed against the former head of the sanctuary, who is being summoned for questioning. Officials have also seized a tractor and an excavator believed to have been used in the operation and have questioned individuals connected to the equipment. Additional forest protection officers have been transferred pending further investigation.
The DNP is now coordinating with police and military units to determine whether the road construction, located about five kilometers from the border, is linked to broader organized interests and has pledged to pursue all those involved under the law. (NNT)
