BANGKOK, Thailand – Deputy Prime Minister and Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin has ordered an urgent probe into allegations of illegal logging and road construction inside the Mae Yuam Fang Khwa Wildlife Sanctuary in Mae Hong Son province.
Suchart, following social media reports claiming encroachment in the protected forest area, directed the ministry’s permanent secretary to set up a fact-finding committee with a three-day deadline to report its findings. An inspector general and a team of officials have been sent to conduct an on-site investigation to examine claims of unauthorized road construction, timber cutting, forest land use, and any involvement by individuals or groups.
The inquiry will also assess the accuracy of information circulating online. Authorities said that if any state officials are found to have been complicit or negligent, disciplinary and legal action will proceed without exception.
The ministry reaffirmed that forest resources are national assets and warned that unlawful exploitation will not be tolerated. The public has been urged to report evidence of encroachment or environmental damage to help safeguard protected areas. (NNT)
