Officials Rule Out Illegal Logging in Salween River Log Raft
Authorities seized dozens of aged logs found along the Salween River in Mae Hong Son, but officials say the discovery likely represents villager-collected driftwood rather than illegal timber smuggling that hasn't occurred in the region for
On August 3, Likhit Waiprom, director of Salween National Park in Mae Hong Son province, addressed the discovery and seizure of bundled logs along the Salween River near Ban Tha Ta Fang in Mae Sarieng district. Most of the logs are at least 10 years old, with some bearing burn marks, having drifted and lodged on the Thai bank. About 30 park rangers are currently helping to retrieve the logs for safekeeping and documentation.
Likhit stated that no one has claimed ownership of the logs and officials are investigating their origin. However, he noted that illegal logging in the area has not occurred for roughly 10 years, and it remains unclear whether this represents organized timber smuggling or village-collected wood. Additional investigation is needed before conclusions can be drawn. The park has activated surveillance measures previously deployed during illegal logging operations a decade ago, including nighttime patrols with spotlights along the river at various points.
Pongpipat Meebenjamas, mayor of Mae Sam Laep subdistrict in Sop Moei district, Mae Hong Son, expressed skepticism about organized smuggling. He believes the logs are driftwood accumulated during seasonal flooding and gathered by villagers into a raft for easier storage. Local residents can purchase this reclaimed timber for home repairs or boat maintenance. "I don't believe this is organized illegal logging," Pongpipat said. "If it were, we'd likely have heard rumors. The key difference is that this batch has smaller, varied-sized logs with burn marks, unlike the uniform teak rafts smugglers used 10 years ago with specific orders."
Historically, villagers would collect logs drifting during monsoon season and tie them near their homes for repairs. In the past, they might keep one or two logs per household, but in recent times some have accumulated larger quantities for personal use or resale. Pongpipat acknowledged the large haul created confusion resembling past smuggling behavior.
Suwat Somatchitoobhom, village headman of Ban Tha Ta Fang and participant in the inspection, reported receiving word of logs lodged on rocks in the Salween River near the village. He accompanied park officials and 36th ranger battalion soldiers to investigate. The logs are all wild timber, mostly aged wood but some bearing fresh cut marks. Based on the loose binding of the raft, officials believe it was moored nearby and unlikely to have traveled far, noting that long-distance transport to Myanmar would require more secure fastening.
