Murders in the forest

People light candles at the killing site of Cambodian anti-logging activist Chut Wutty in Koh Kong province May 11, 2012. About three hundred people traveled to the Cardamom Mountains in Koh Kong province, in Southwestern Cambodia, to investigate alleged illegal logging and commemorate the death of slain prominent environment activist Chut Wutty. Communities, affected by deforestation, wanted to show the government that they will continue fighting even though their activist was killed. REUTERS/Samrang Pring

September 20, 2012
By Olesia Plokhii
Reuters

And Cambodia is being skinned alive.

Since Apr. 26, a crusading forestry activist, a muckraking journalist and a 14-year-old girl have been killed in Cambodia because they tried to safeguard the country’s dwindling land reserves. They are all victims of a decade-long battle over Cambodia’s ecological future, a fight that in the past two years has turned more bloody and corrupt. Their deaths offer the world a stark vision of how crony capitalism has replaced totalitarianism as the threat to human rights in Southeast Asia. In Cambodia, the price of a human life pales in comparison with a blank check.

I worked at the Cambodia Daily in Phnom Penh for one year (2011-2012), covering the oil business, land evictions, the environment and forestry. That’s why I was with Chut Wutty, the nation’s foremost forest conservationist, on Apr. 26 when he was killed. On the third day of an investigation into illegal logging in Cambodia’s Cardamom mountains, we stopped at what Wutty said was a military-controlled illegal logging outpost. There, he was shot dead during a confrontation with soldiers who were protecting the site and preventing us from leaving. A soldier was also shot dead under mysterious circumstances in the firefight, although Wutty did not fire any shots. When the murderers began concocting a cover-up, a colleague and I were threatened with death. “Just kill them both,” they icily said within earshot of us. After six hours of paralyzing fear and pacing at the scene of the murder, we were transferred from police custody into the care of our editor in chief as night fell.

Wife describes slain journalist’s close call

Thursday, 20 September 2012
Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post

The son of a provincial military police commander sideswiped journalist Hang Serei Oudom’s car with his government vehicle months before Oudom was found hacked to death in the back of a car in Ratanakkiri province, his widow and her lawyer said yesterday.

The officer, King Seanglay, was singled out for ties to illegal logging in the last story Oudom wrote for his newspaper, Vorakchun Khmer, on September 6. Oudom disappeared three days later.

Seanglay was briefly questioned along with a dozen others about Oudom’s murder, but investigators released him the same day.

Song Bunthanorm, chief of the serious crimes police office in Ratanakkiri province, said he did not know whether the journalist and Seanglay had a dispute with each other.

Illegal loggers threaten Prey Lang patrol

Villagers are pictured close to the timber they discovered while on a patrol in Prey Lang forest earlier this week. Photograph: Vanessa De Smet/Phnom Penh Post

Thursday, 20 September 2012
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

The Prey Lang community patrol network faced threats from illegal loggers after reporting the loggers’ names to authorities, along with the discovery of more than 120 cubic metres of illegally felled timber and seven chainsaws, a patrol representative said yesterday.

Chheang Vuthy, a community representative from Kampong Thom, said that at the end of the network’s forest patrol, he was forced to flee for his own safety after receiving several phone threats.

“They asked me many times to write a letter saying that my report is wrong, but I cannot do it,” he said. “I dare not stay at my home. I am afraid they will do something to me.”

Trial held for environmental activist killer's killer

Chut Wutty (Photo: AP)

Thursday, 20 September 2012
Meas Sokchea and Stuart White
The Phnom Penh Post

The man accused of shooting the man who shot environmental activist Chut Wutty last April had been summoned to the Koh Kong Provincial Court to stand trial next month on charges of unintentional homicide, a court official said yesterday.

According to deputy prosecutor Srey Mak Ny, Timbergreen security employee Ran Boroth will appear in court on October 4 to face allegations that he shot military police officer In Rattana while attempting to disarm him after he purportedly gunned down Wutty, a widely admired forest advocate, on April 26.

“[We] have sent [citations] already,” Mak Ny said, adding that the court had called as witnesses “all who have ever been involved in this case”.

The facts surrounding Wutty’s shooting have been muddled from the start, with the government’s official version of events changing at least three times.

Murder Case Surrounding Death of Environmentalist Ready for Court

Chut Wutty was a prominent environmental activist whose work to stop illegal logging and deforestation earned him powerful enemies in the lucrative, illicit industry.

Chut Wutty was shot in the western province of Koh Kong, near an environmentally sensitive forest area he had spent much of his career trying to protect.

19.09.2012

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer

PHNOM PENH - Koh Kong provincial court will open a hearing early next month into the shooting death of environmentalist Chut Wutty and a military policeman in April.

One suspect, Rann Borath, the chief security guard for a logging company, has been charged with the accidental murder of Chut Wutty’s alleged killer, in a improbable scenario.

The court, which will open the hearing Oct. 4, says Rann Borath accidentally shot to death a military policeman, In Rattana, who was responsible for shooting Chut Wutty at a checkpoint in a remote forest of the province.

Journalist and forestry officer released in deal [-Travesty of justice lingers on...]

Wednesday, 19 September 2012
Buth Reaksmey Kongkea
The Phnom Penh Post

A local journalist and a forestry officer who were arrested by military police forces in Kratie province last week for beating a man and firing a gun into the air were released on Monday as part of a compromise between the victim and his attackers.

Srey Vutha, deputy commander of the Kratie provincial military police, said that Khuth Khy, a reporter for Today News, and Seng Chantarun, director of the Sandan Forestry Administration, were let go after they confessed to their mistake and were “educated” by the military police.

The agreement, he said, was brokered between the accused, the police, the victim, and the provincial governor. The police did not say what conditions, if any, pertained to the contract that all parties signed.

Villagers reveal illegal logging

Illegal logs (File Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

Tuesday, 18 September 2012
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

Villagers have found more than 100 cubic metres of timber and three chainsaws in Prey Lang forest during a six-day patrol for illegal logging, community officials said yesterday.

Scouring the forest on motorcycles and on foot, more than 300 villagers from four provinces found 100 cubic metres of timber and two chainsaws in Kampong Thom province and 20 cubic metres of timber and one chainsaw in Kratie province, said Sim Sean, Kampong Thom’s Prey Lang Community Network representative.

“We will leave the forest tomorrow and submit the evidence of forestry crimes to the government to seek its collaboration in prevention,” Sean said.

Slain journalist's mother seeks justice

(Photo: DAP-news)

Tuesday, 18 September 2012
Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post

A journalist murdered in Ratanakkiri last week took a call from his accused killer on the night of his disappearance, his family has claimed in a complaint to the rights group Adhoc.

Ken Sovann, 63, the mother of slain journalist Hang Serei Oudom, whose body was found in his car in O’Chum district last Tuesday, will lodge the same complaint with the provincial court today, asking for US$100,000 compensation and demanding that those responsible, including accomplices, be punished.

“Please find justice for my son,” Sovann said yesterday, adding that she feared for her safety.

Prey Lang patrol left with illegal logging proofs

អ្នកភូមិ​ការពារ​ព្រៃឡង់​ចាក​ចេញ​ពី​ព្រៃឡង់​ជាមួយ​ភស្តុតាង

អ្នកភូមិ​ការពារ​ព្រៃឡង់​ចាក​ចេញ​ពី​ព្រៃឡង់​ជាមួយ​ភស្តុតាង

ថ្ងៃ ចន្ទ 17 កញ្ញា 2012 
ដោយ លាង ដឺលុច
Radio France Internationale

ប្រជាសហគមន៍​ព្រៃឡង់​បាន​ចាក​ចេញ​ពី​ព្រៃឡង់​ជា​បន្តបន្ទាប់​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ចន្ទ​នេះ តាម​គម្រោង​របស់​​ពួក​គេ។ ពួក​គេ​បាន​អះអាង​ថា ពួក​គេ​រក​ឃើញ​ករណី​កាប់​ឈើ​ខុសច្បាប់​ជាច្រើន​ករណី ហើយ​ក៏​បាន​រឹបអូស​យក​ម៉ាស៊ីន​កាត់ឈើ​មួយ​ចំនួន​ដើម្បី​ប្រគល់​អោយ​រដ្ឋបាល​ព្រៃឈើ​ផង​ដែរ។ ពួក​គេ​នឹង​ធ្វើ​របាយការណ៍​អំពី​ករណី​ទាំង​នេះ​ជូន​អាជ្ញាធរ​ទៀត។

អ្នក​ភូមិ​ព្រៃឡង់​នៅ​ក្នុង​ខេត្ត​ទាំង​៤​បាន​បញ្ចប់​បេសកកម្ម​របស់​ពួកគេ​ក្នុង​ការ​ទប់ស្កាត់​ការ​កាប់​ព្រៃឈើ និង​អនុព្រៃឈើ​ហើយ​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ចន្ទ​នេះ។ អ្នកភូមិ​ប៉ែក​ខាង​ខេត្ត​កំពង់ធំ ព្រះវិហារ ក្រចេះ និង​ស្ទឹងត្រែង​បាន​ចាកចេញ​ពី​ក្នុង​ព្រៃឡង់​ជា​បន្ត​បន្ទាប់ ក្រោយ​ពី​ពួកគេ​បាន​រុក​ចូលព្រៃ​តាម​ម៉ូតូកាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១៣ កញ្ញា​សប្តាហ៍​មុន។ ក្រុម​អ្នក​ភូមិ​បាន​ជួប​ករណី​បំផ្លាញ​ព្រៃឈើ​មួយ​ចំនួន ហើយ​ក៏​បាន​រឹប​អូស​យក​ឧបករណ៍​មួយ​ចំនួន​ទៀត​ដែរ​។ លោកស្រី​ភោគ ហុង តំណាង​អ្នកភូមិ​សហគមន៍​ព្រៃឡង់​ក្នុង​ខេត្តព្រះវិហារ​បាន​ប្រាប់​វិទ្យុ​បារាំង​អន្តរជាតិ​​តាម​ទូរស័ព្ទ​នៅ​រសៀល​ថ្ងៃ​ចន្ទ​នេះ​ថា អ្នកភូមិ​របស់​គាត់​ចំនួន​៦៤នាក់​បាន​ប្រទះ​ឃើញ​ឈើ​ធ្នុង​ចំនួន​១៥ម៉ែត្រគីប​របស់​ឈ្មួញ ហើយ​​ពួក​គាត់​បាន​ដុត​កំទេចចោល​នៅ​នឹង​កន្លែង ដោយសារ​ពិបាក​ដឹក​ជញ្ជូន​ចេញ​ពី​ក្នុង​ព្រៃ។ ហើយ​ពួក​គាត់​​ក៏​បាន​រឹបអូស​បាន​ម៉ាស៊ីន​កាត់​ឈើ​បាន​មួយ​គ្រឿង​ផង​ដែរ។ លោកស្រី​ភោគ ហុង​បន្ត​ថា អ្នកភូមិ​បាន​ផ្តិត​យក​រូបភាព​នៃ​ការ​កាប់​ឈើ​ផង​ដែរ។

Ratanakkiri duo charged in death of reporter

(Photo: RFA)

Monday, 17 September 2012
Kim Yuthana
The Phnom Penh Post

A Ratanakkiri provincial court has charged a married couple with premeditated murder in the grisly killing of Vorakchun Khmer newspaper reporter Hang Serei Oudom, whose body was found axed to death in the back of a car last week.

The suspects, An Bunheng and his wife, Sim Vy, own a karaoke bar in Banlung town, where the victim lived. The police have previously said that a number used to call Oudom could belong to Bunheng.

They were arrested on Thursday at the provincial military police headquarters. Several others, including the son of the provincial military police chief, were also detained for questioning but released later.

Military links to journalist

An Bunheng's wife (Photo: RFA)

Friday, 14 September 2012
Chhay Channyda and Joe Freeman
The Phnom Penh Post

Two military police officers and one of their wives were detained for questioning yesterday in connection with the unsolved slaying of Ratanakkiri province Vorakchun Khmer newspaper reporter Hang Serei Oudom, local authorities said.

Em Vun, Banlung town police chief, told the Post that provincial police and investigators from the Ministry of Interior confronted Captain An Bunheng, aka Eng, at the provincial military police headquarters in the morning.

According to rights group Adhoc, police later detained Bunheng’s wife and King Seanglay, the son of a provincial military police commander and the subject of Oudom’s last article in which allegations of illegal logging were levelled at Seanglay.

Several others were briefly brought in for questioning and later released, but as of yesterday evening, the three remained in custody.

ប្រជា​សហគមន៍​ព្រៃឡង់​ចូល​ព្រៃ​ជា​ថ្មី​តាម​ដាន​ការ​កាប់​ឈើ​ខុស​ច្បាប់​

ប្រជា​សហគមន៍​ព្រៃឡង់​ចូល​ព្រៃ​ជា​ថ្មី​តាមដាន​ការ​កាប់​ឈើ​ខុស​ច្បាប់​ (RFI/Leang Delux)

​ថ្ងៃ សុក្រ 14 កញ្ញា 2012
ដោយ លាង ដឺលុច
Radio France Internationale

ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ​​សហគមន៍​​ព្រៃ​ឡង់​មក​​ពី​​ខេត្ត​​ព្រះវិហារ​ កំពង់ធំ ​ស្ទឹងត្រែង​ និង​​ខេត្ត​ក្រចេះ ​បាន​ជួប​ជុំ​គ្នា​ជា​ថ្មី​ទៀត​ដើម្បី​នាំ​គ្នា​ចូលក្នុង​តំបន់​ព្រៃឡង់​ដើម្បី​ប្រឆាំង​ការ​កាប់​ឈើ​ខុស​ច្បាប់ និង​ការ​បំផ្លាញ​បរិស្ថាន។ យុទ្ធនាការ​នេះ​មាន​រយៈ​ពេល​៤​ថ្ងៃ​ដោយ​ចាប់​ផ្តើម​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​សុក្រ​ទី​១៤​កញ្ញា​នេះ​ទៅដល់​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១៧​កញ្ញា។ ព្រៃឡង់​​ត្រូវ​​បាន​​ប្រជា​សហគមន៍​​ដែល​​រស់​នៅ​​ក្នុង​​តំបន់​​នោះ​​ប្រកាស​​ថា​-​កំពុង​​ស្ថិត​​នៅ​​ក្នុង​​សភាព​​នៃ​​ការ​​បំផ្លាញ​​​ពី​​សំណាក់​​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​​ឯកជន​។ ជា​​ព្រៃ​ឈើ​​ធំ​ជាង​គេ​​បង្អស់​​ដែល​​នៅ​​សេស​សល់​​ក្នុង​​ប្រទេស​​កម្ពុជា​និង​​ក្នុង​​ឧបទ្វីប​​ឥណ្ឌូចិន​។​

ប្រជា​ពលរដ្ឋ​សហគមន៍​ព្រៃឡង់ បាន​ជួប​ប្រជុំគ្នា​ចេញ​ដំណើរ​តាម​ម៉ូតូ​ចូល​ទៅក្នុង​ព្រៃឡង់​សារ​ជា​ថ្មី​នៅ​ព្រឹក​ថ្ងៃ​សុក្រ​ទី​១៤​កញ្ញា​នេះ ដើម្បី​ស្វែង​រក​ការ​កាប់​ព្រៃ​ឈើ​ខុស​ច្បាប់​ពិសេស​ ការ​កាប់​ដើម​ចំបក់​ដែល​ជា​អនុផល​ព្រៃឈើ​ដ៏​មាន​សក្តា​នុពល​សម្រាប់​ការ​ចិញ្ចឹម​ជីវិត​របស់​អ្នកភូមិ។

ព្រៃឡង់​គឺ​ជា​គម្រប​ព្រៃ​ដ៏​ធំ​និង​ក្រាស់​ជាង​គេ​នៅ​ក្នុង​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា និង​នៅ​ក្នុង​តំបន់​ឥណ្ឌូចិន​នេះ ហើយ​មាន​ព្រំដែន​ជាប់​នឹង​ខេត្ត​ចំនួន​៤​ដូច​ជា ព្រះវិហារ កំពង់ធំ ក្រចេះ និង​ស្ទឹង​ត្រែង។ ប្រជា​ពលរដ្ឋ​ជា​ច្រើន​ម៉ឺន​គ្រួសារ​ដែល​រស់នៅ​រំពឹង​អនុផល​ព្រៃឈើ​នៃ​ព្រៃ​ឡង់​នេះ​បាន​ក្រោក​តវ៉ា និង​ប្រឆាំង​ការ​ឈូស​ឆាយ​ព្រៃ​ពី​សំណាក់​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​ឯកជន​ជា​ច្រើន​ឆ្នាំ​មក​ហើយ។

Suspects Nabbed in Reporter’s Death

Police search for evidence in the murder of Hang Serei Oudom in Ratanakiri province, Sept. 13, 2012. (RFA)

Wife of An Bunheng and fellow suspect 'Vy,' in an undated photo. Credit: RFA

Cambodian police detain a married couple they say have links to the journalist’s murder.

2012-09-13

Radio Free Asia

Cambodian authorities on Thursday detained two suspects linked to the slaying of a journalist investigating claims of illegal logging amid calls by an international press watchdog to determine whether the murder was connected to his coverage of environmental concerns.

Military officer An Bunheng and his wife, known by her nickname "Vy," were taken into custody after police and a court prosecutor said they had found evidence at the couple’s restaurant in northeastern Cambodia’s Ratanakiri province—the last known whereabouts of victim Hang Serei Oudom before he went missing on Monday.

On Wednesday, authorities found Oudom dead in the trunk of his car, which was parked in a cashew nut plantation in the north of the province about a week after he had published an article accusing a local military police officer of extorting money from an illegal logger in the area.

Police said the journalist had apparently died from a series of axe blows to the head.

Among the evidence collected by authorities on Thursday from the restaurant were a pair of Oudom’s shoes abandoned about 65 feet (about 20 meters) from the establishment, an assortment of knives, and “other” evidence.

Journalist’s murder still under investigation

(Photo: DAP-news)

Thursday, 13 September 2012
Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post

The editor-in-chief of Vorak-chun Khmer newspaper said yesterday he could not make any assumptions about the motive behind the murder of journalist Hang Serei Oudom, whose body was discovered on Tuesday.

“Most of his reports were about illegal logging. Other stories were traffic accidents and protocol news,” Rin Ratanak said, highlighting that Oudom covered a variety of topics.

Ratanak did point out that Oudom’s most recent article in the Ratanakkiri province newspaper before his death implicated the son of a provincial military commander in illegal logging activities.

Oudom, 44, disappeared on Sunday when he left his house about 7pm for a meeting.

Cambodian journalist found dead in his own car

(Photo: DAP-news)

Source: Committee to Protect Journalists

Bangkok, September 12, 2012--Cambodian authorities must immediately investigate the murder of a journalist who was found with ax wounds in the trunk of his car on Tuesday, less than a week after he had exposed an alleged military connection to the illicit timber trade, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

The body of Hang Serei Odom, a reporter for the Khmer-language Virakchun Khmer Daily newspaper, was found in his car at a cashew plantation in the O'Chum district of northeastern Ratanakiri province, according to news reports. The journalist's wife had reported him missing after he failed to return from an appointment on Sunday, news reports said.

The Cambodia Daily quoted local police chief Song Bunthanorm as saying that Hang Serei Odom had been hit in the front and back of the head with an ax. The official said at least two people were involved in the murder, the report said. No suspects were immediately identified.

Journalist Found Murdered

Police uncover the body of reporter Hang Serei Oudom hidden in the trunk of his car in Ratanakiri province, Sept. 11, 2012.(RFA)

The body of a Cambodian reporter who uncovered illegal logging is found in the trunk of his car.

2012-09-12

Radio Free Asia

A Cambodian journalist who exposed illegal logging and forest crimes involving the local elite has been murdered, police said Wednesday, after his battered body was found in the trunk of his car.

Hang Serei Oudom, 42, a reporter for the local Virakchum Khmer Daily newspaper, had been missing since Sunday afternoon and his body was found on Tuesday in northeastern Cambodia’s Ratanakiri province, said Ek Vun, the police chief for Balung City, the provincial capital.

Authorities are working to identify suspects involved in the murder of the reporter, who had recently written a string of stories about deforestation and timber smuggling in Ratanakiri, where logging and mining in recent years have taken a big toll on the environment.

“We have already collected the necessary evidence and we are investigating the case,” provincial governor Pao Ham Phan said.

Cambodian journalist found murdered: police

Photo: DAP-news

 

A Cambodian journalist who reported on rampant illegal logging in the country has been found murdered in the boot of his car, police said.

12 Sept 2012

AFP

Hang Serei Oudom, a reporter at local-language Vorakchun Khmer Daily, was discovered on Tuesday, said senior police officer Song Bunthanorm. The vehicle was abandoned in a cashew nut plantation in northern Ratanakiri province.

"It is not a robbery case. It is a murder," he said, adding the victim had suffered several blows to the head, probably by an axe.

The 44-year-old had been missing since leaving his home on Sunday evening.

Prey Lang

05 September 2012
By Mu Sochua

Prey Lang is life and a significant part of our indigenous people's beliefs. Protecting Prey Lang is protecting the rights of the people and communities to take back these natural resources that have been part of their lives for generation.

The current government has put an end to Cambodia's wealth in Kratie, Stung Treng and Kompong Thom provinces. Nothing will repair it but protecting what is left is more than crucial. Chut Wutty's death has not put an end to the people's activism but the scale of deforestation in the area is still of great concern and spreading to other areas. Only by changing the government can protection of Prey Lang begin.

Watch this, share this and be part of the change to rescue Cambodia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZvCylembLk

Precious wood transported to Vietnam like a funeral procession

ឈើប្រណីត សំរុកដឹកចេញ តាមទូកឆ្ពោះ ទៅស្រុកយួន ដូចហែរខ្មោច

Monday, 03 September 2012
ដោយ ដើមអម្ពិល(DAP)

ហេ! ហេ! ដើមអម្ពិល ហៅចៅហ្វាយ យួន ថា យួនៗ ឲ្យពេញៗ មាត់ដែរណ៎!

រតនគីរីៈ បើទោះបីជាប្រមុខរាជរដ្ឋាភិបាល បានដាក់ចេញនៅបទបញ្ជានិងវិធានការ ឲ្យក្រសួងស្ថាប័ន សមត្ថកិច្ចគ្រប់លំដាប់ថ្នាក់ ជាពិសេស មន្ត្រីរដ្ឋបាល ឈើក្នុងការលុបបំបាត់ ការកាប់បំផ្លាញព្រៃឈើខុសច្បាប់ ។ ប៉ុន្តែជា រៀងរាល់ថ្ងៃ-យប់គេសង្កេតឃើញសកម្មភាពដឹកជញ្ជូនឈើប្រណីត ប្រភេទធ្នង់យ៉ាងគគ្រឹកគគ្រេង ខ្លាំងណាស់ដឹកតាម កាណូតចេញទៅប្រទេសវៀតណាម ហើយមិនត្រូវបានសមត្ថកិច្ចជំនាញ ស្ថាប័នពាក់ព័ន្ធ រួមទាំងអាជ្ញាធរ មូលដ្ឋានធ្វើការទប់ស្កាត់ឡើយ។

តាមប្រភពព័ត៌មានពីប្រជាពលរដ្ឋម្នាក់សុំមិនបញ្ចេញឈ្មោះ រស់នៅភូមិក្តុល ឃុំសេសាន្ត ស្រុកអូរយ៉ាដាវ ខេត្តរតនគីរី បានប្រាប់មជ្ឈមណ្ឌលព័ត៌មានដើមអម្ពិលឲ្យដឹងថា ឈ្មួញឈើប្រណីតដែលគេអះអាងថា ឈ្មោះចែ ឡន យាយសាន ដែលជាថៅកែឈើដុះស្លែរជាយូរមកហើយនោះ ដោយពួកគាត់យកលុយ ទៅប្រមែលប្រមូលទិញឈើបណ្រីត យ៉ាងអាណាធិបតេយ្យ ពីតំបន់ផ្សេងយកមកគរទុកនៅភូមិក្តុល ឃុំសេសាន្ត ស្រុកអូរយ៉ាដាវ ខេត្តរតនគីរី ដើម្បីដឹកជញ្ជូនតាមកាណូត ចុះទៅប្រទេសវៀតណាម ដោយឆ្លង កាត់សមត្ថកិច្ចជាច្រើន កន្លែងដូចជាប៉ុស្តិ៍ នគរបាលរដ្ឋបាល ឃុំសេសាន្ត ប៉ុស្តិ៍នគរបាល ប៉ុស្តិ៍យោធា ការពារព្រំដែនច្រក ភូមិភិ ស្រុកអូរយ៉ាដាវ ខេត្តរតនគីរី។

Thai Officials Seize 1,500 Logs Of Siamese Rosewood

BURIRAM, Thailand, Sept 3 (Bernama) -- Police in north-eastern Thailand have pulled over two trucks with nearly 1,500 logs of smuggled Siamese rosewood -- the largest capture ever in the region worth nearly 400 million baht (RM39.9 million).

Commander of Police Region Division 3, Police Lieutenant General Panu Kerdlarppol, said two suspects were arrested on the spot near a checkpoint in Buriram province, bordering Cambodia, Thai News Agency reported.

The suspects confessed being hired for 3,000 baht (RM299.40) each trip to take the rosewoods to a wood market in Thailand's central Ayutthaya province.

In another capture, park officials in the eastern province of Sa Kaeo have arrested two Cambodians who illegally crossed the Thai border to smuggle rosewoods, valued at nearly one million baht (RM99,734). The pair said they planned to earn profit selling them at the border.