Thai Forestry Department Announces New Measures Against Deforestation

BANGKOK, July 11 (TNA) - Thailand’s Forestry Department has announced plans to revive forests nationwide, while also reducing the rate of deforestation. Forestry Department Director-General Theerapat Prayurasiddhi on Thursday met with top forestry officials nationwide to explain his policy, stressing the lowering of deforestation and illegal forest encroachment in order to protect the forests' fertility. Mr Theerapat said that conflicts between relevant agencies should be minimised to improve cooperation among agencies, increase forestry economy areas, and achieving balance within nature to improve the lives of the people. The director-general said that his department would implement strategies to promote sustainable forest resources management, including urgent revitalisation of the forest to increase working efficiency. Mr Theerapat said that forest protection officials would meet soon to be briefed on implementing the new measures. He said he would also meet with the National Park and Wildlife Conservation Department on shifting workforce to the Forestry Department to raise forest protection capacity, as there 1,221 national forests under the Forestry Department's responsibility. (TNA)