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Man charged with burning forest in Chiang Mai


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Man charged with burning forest in Chiang Mai

By The Nation

 

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Police arrested a suspected arsonist in Doi Inthanon National Park in Chiang Mai province on Thursday (April 9), as part of a clampdown on forest-burning that has seen air pollution spike in the northern region.

 

Patrols conducted by Chom Thong Police Station, Doi Inthanon National Park and Chong Thong district administrative organisation led to the arrest of a 29-year-old suspected fire-setter.

 

The suspect was found with seven lighters, a knife and drugs in his possession. Police charged him with committing arson in the forest in violation of the Forest Act and possession of drugs (methamphetamine).

 

Deputy police spokesman Pol Col Kritsana Pattanacharoen said that the wildfire problem in the northern region had to be dealt with seriously as it was severely affecting residents’ health.

 

Levels of the most hazardous PM2.5 air pollution have soared over the North in recent weeks.

 

The spokesman said that if anyone noticed activity that might lead to fire, they could contact the police via the 24-hour 191 hotline.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30385732

 

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-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-04-10
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They actually caught one !,in reality if found guilty he should be

given say 10 years,they have to make an example of a few Aronists

to show they are really serious about stopping the burning......we will

never learn what sentence he was given,as there is never any follow

up on stories like this,but i am sure having the Meth will be a bigger

worry for him.

regards worgeodie

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35 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

He might also be a vagrant living rough in the forest, while all the farmers who do all the real damage go free.


I suppose he might have been set up but, in general, if you are found with seven lighters, a knife and drugs in your possession, you probably are a firebug.

 

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On 4/10/2020 at 1:40 PM, Antonymous said:

 

So why is the capture of this ONE guy so significant?

It's not other than to pretend they are cracking down, so they find and blame some sorry ass meth addict with seven lighters????? Hint: They use lighters to smoke meth in Thailand! Total BS in my opinion.

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Show no mercy.  Lock him up and throw away the key.  People have to understand what a serious offense burning a national forest has become.  And it’s not just in Thailand for this problem.  Illegal forest fires happen in Myanmar and Cambodia too. 

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3 hours ago, donnacha said:


I suppose he might have been set up but, in general, if you are found with seven lighters, a knife and drugs in your possession, you probably are a firebug.

 

All the meth-heads in the US are arsonists and not druggies.

 

Using meth or yah-bah requires you to hold an open flame to your pipe/tinfoil while smoking. And that means lighters are being used a lot.

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Suspected fire starter to me sounds like they have no evidence other than him being in the forest. Unless they actually caught him in the act of fire starting I strongly believe that the 7 lighters were for the consumption of meth and the guy is innocent! 

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5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I don't think many of the mountain forest burners in CM are connected to big business.

Mostly mushroom hunters and a few slash and burn hilltribe farmers.

Nobody would really miss any of them.

You are thinking wrong. The following article is from 2016 so the main culprits are known for a long time already. 

Read it and broaden your horizon:

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/chiang-mais-headache-corn-fed-smoke-haze

 

Edited by hanuman2543
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9 hours ago, worgeordie said:

They actually caught one !,in reality if found guilty he should be

given say 10 years,they have to make an example of a few Aronists

to show they are really serious about stopping the burning......we will

never learn what sentence he was given,as there is never any follow

up on stories like this,but i am sure having the Meth will be a bigger

worry for him.

regards worgeodie

Did they catch one in the act? Really? If I was smoking crack in the mountains I would have lighters also. Mountain burning is another problem but I have always argued they should jut go to the fields where agricultural burning is found, research the land owner and throw them in jail. Simples.

HI So Lo So, no discrimination. Problem solved quite quickly,

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On 4/10/2020 at 4:19 PM, donnacha said:

In a very real sense, this guy is a mass-murderer. The lives of almost everyone in the North will, to some extent, be shortened by the air pollution.

He is, of course, not responsible for all of it, but he has certainly added to the catastrophe.
 

Add, and my guess there's a 50% chance he's been paid to light the fires.

 

So who paid him?

 

Some good police work should be able to get that answer very quickly. 

 

But....

 

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On 4/11/2020 at 7:07 PM, hanuman2543 said:

You are thinking wrong. The following article is from 2016 so the main culprits are known for a long time already. 

Read it and broaden your horizon:

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/chiang-mais-headache-corn-fed-smoke-haze

 

Yes that is an interesting and informative piece of writing. It certainly ties in with the generally held view (To my knowledge) that the problem has been getting worse over the past 10 years. As understandably strong as the emotions aroused by those suffering this smoke are, the "String them up" brigade appear to be missing the point. This picture looks like the perfect set up. Who believes that an obvious fall guy was found so conveniently by the cops/army with all the evidence on him. 

 Best solution would be to round up the bosses and staff of the corn buying consortium and send them to the mountains to fight fires. Sadly that will never happen.

Like we never tire of saying, "Follow the money". or "Money doesn't talk it swears" (Dylan). 

 

The tragedy is that whereas a few superannuated and surplus to requirements falang pensioners may lose their lives, the hill farmers are dramatically shortening the life expectation of their own children, and those in the valleys. Ignorance is certainly not bliss.

 

As Chiang Mai tourism is losing millions, with it's reputation as "Jewel of the North" burnt to a crisp, you wonder when the Thais in this and other Northern valleys are going to start fighting back. 

 

Delhi has essentially the same problem with crop burning in Rajasthan.

Edited by Nigel Garvie
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