Visitors since 01/09/06

Encroachment into National Parks seems to remain a problem as this photo of clearance at Thalebun National Park in SaTun province in the south shows. With the recent rise in entrance fees for foreigners into National Parks (see News; Entrance Fees) perhaps now there will be more money available to pay staff to prevent this sort of activity. Somehow one suspects not. This particular example, as with most acts of forest clearance in the south, probably has been done in preparation for a small rubber or palm oil plantation. Almost all lowland forest in Thailand has been felled for these or similar agricultural activities and it seems that now hill-slopes too are under threat from encroachment.

Nick Upton, 27th September 2006

Spokesman Surapong Seubwonglee said Mr Thaksin believed 99% of state officials were involved in forest encroachment and ordered the transfer of officials found to be involved in the practice.

Information from Bangkok Post, 24th August, 2005.