Former PEA official said to own illegal house in forest

Senior forestry officials and police inspect a house said to belong to a former executive of the Provincial Electricity Authority's Kanchanaburi branch and found to be inside a forest reserve in Thong Pha Phum district of the province. (Photo by Piyarach Chongcharoen)

KANCHANABURI - Two houses, one of them belonging to a former executive of a state enterprise, have been found to be encroaching on a forest area adjacent to Lam Khlong Ngu National Park.

A combined team of 50 forestry officials and police on Thursday inspected areas of Khao Phra Ruesee and Khao Borae forest reserve, adjacent to Lam Khlong Ngu, in Kanchanaburi’s Thong Pha Phum district, following complaints some houses there encroached on the forest.

The team, led by led by Chaiwat Limlikitaksorn, head of a special task force to suppress forest encroachment, found two houses had been built inside the forest reserve in tambon Chalae. One house had concrete supporting pillars and a sheet metal roof, and the other was built of wood.

The owner of the wooden house, Maila-ong Nasuansathit, a resident of lower Klity village in tambon Chalae, Thong Pha Phum district, told officials the other house belonged to a former executive of the Provincial Electricity Authority’s Kanchanaburi’s branch. Built in 2014, the house served as a resort home for the former PEA executive, he said. The team seized the house for demolition.

The carcasses of a barking deer and a native wild dog were found in the wooden house, which was loosely built. Many wooden planks cut from endangered tree species were found stored beneath the house. All were without official stamps.

Mr Maila-ong admitted the planks belonged to him and that he had cut trees in the forest 2-3 years ago and processed them.

The officials demolished the house, which was made up of 150 wooden planks. Mr Maila-long was detained and handed over to Thong Pha Phum police for legal action. The two houses had encroached on about 48 rai of the forest in total.

The team later inspected another house in upper Klity village in the same tambon and found many illegally cut krayaloei tree logs and processed wooden planks. The house, which was loosely built of timber, was demolished and 333 wooden planks and logs seized.

Officials also found many carcasses and parts of wild animals in sacks in the basement of this house. They included five barking deer carcasses, a chamois head, a leaf monkey head, a mouse deer carcass and 220 porcupine carcasses.

A home-made gun, more than 100 rounds of ammunition, hunting gear, three chain saws, two walkie talkies and a pack of dried marijuana were also found at the house.

House owner Mesa Thongphaphumsudjarit, who was not present, would face legal action, officials said. The items seized from two of the three houses were worth over 3 million baht, according to one of the officials.

A house said to belong to a former executive of the Provincial Electricity Authority's Kanchanaburi branch found to encroach on a forest reserve. (Photo by Piyarach Chongcharoen)