Thai police uprooting environmental crime

BANGKOK, June 18 (TNA) - The Royal Thai Police has launched a nationwide operation to crack down on environmental crime cases, including illegal logging and wildlife trafficking, targeting to uproot such the crime within one month. Royal Thai Police Inspector-General Police General Chalermkiat Srivorakhan, in his capacity as Chief of the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division, called a meeting with agencies concerned to jointly work out integrated strategic plans to combat environmental crime in the country. Invited to Tuesday afternoon's meeting in Bangkok were representatives from the Ministries of Interior and Natural Resources and Environment, as well as those from the Royal Thai Armed Forces and police from across the country and those from the local private sector. Police General Chalermkiat said that the meeting was aimed to intensify nationwide prevention and suppression measures against illegal logging, forest encroachment and trafficking of endangered species of fauna and flora, with a target to uproot such the crime within one month, from June 18–July 17, 2014. According to the senior police officer, three zones have been designated for monitoring the crime throughout the country, including red, yellow and green zones. The red zones cover 20 northeastern Thai provinces where illegal logging is widespread, especially siamese rosewood and teak, while red zones for forest encroachment are mostly in the northern and eastern regions. The senior police officer acknowledged that wildlife hunting cases are found in every Thai province, including Bangkok’s Chatuchak Market. The senior police officer noted that prevention measures will focus on raising public awareness and participation in solving the problems through their tip-offs via an official hotline, 1136. (TNA)