Old tree cutters to get help in legal battle

27 ธันวาคม 2559

Did you know that cutting down a phayung tree, even a dead one, on your own land can lead to arrest? Two elderly villagers have found out the hard way

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Help on the way for tree cutters in legal battle

King-oua Laohong

Justice and environment authorities will help two elderly villagers in Maha Sarakham fight controversial charges brought by police for cutting down a protected phayung tree.

The assistance was prompted by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's instruction to environmental and local authorities to look upon the incident as a case study and better educate people on wildlife protection laws.

The charges – against Thongsuk Phanchomphu, an 80-year-old villager from Kae Dam district who cut the tree down on his land on Dec 11, and his friend Doen Chanthakon, 70, who helped him – were brought by police and are to be forwarded to prosecutors.

If the police insist on indicting the pair, the Justice Ministry will help the villagers deal with any expenses in their legal fight, including the hiring of a lawyer, deputy justice permanent secretary Tawatchai Thaikyo said Monday.

The expenses would come from the Justice Fund.

He announced the move after talking to the suspects at the ministry. The meeting was also attended by Athapol Charoenshunsa, head of the Forest Protection and Fire Control Bureau.

Mr Thongsuk said he had no idea that chopping down a phayung, or Siamese rosewood tree, on his own land was illegal.

It was a dead tree next to a road and he feared it might be a traffic hazard if it toppled over. So, he asked Mr Doen to help him cut it down, Mr Thongsuk said.

Local police knocked on his door on Dec 12 and told him he broke the law by cutting the tree down.

"I was detained at the station overnight," Mr Thongsuk said, adding the village head later bailed him out.

Mr Thongsuk said he did not plan to make use of the wood, which can be used to make furniture, out of the belief processing a dead phayung tree would bring bad luck.

Mr Tawatchai confirmed the felled tree had been left untouched.

Mr Athapol said phayung trees grown on private property can be cut down, provided the landowner informs officials in advance.

The forest protection bureau asked police to reconsider their decision to prosecute after discovering the tree was not growing in a forest, he said.

The suspects also had good reason to remove the tree, he added.