Booming furniture industry fuels uncontrolled logging
- From: "MRC-USA" <mrcorg@xxxxxxx>
- Date: 10 Apr 2006 02:09:04 -0700
Booming furniture industry fuels uncontrolled logging
(Kaowao: April 10, 2006)
Sanghalaburi -- Rebel groups on the border, a source from the border
said, are logging three kinds of hardwood trees at an alarming rate
contributing to rampant deforestation in Burma's southern forests.
Rock Dammar, Ironwood and the Gum-Kino trees by their common names are
being ripped down daily and hauled out by smugglers looking for the
highest price sold in the border area. The trees are commonly used for
making furniture and are destined for furniture industries in the
booming business in the Three Pagodas Pass border town, a Mon timber
worker said from the border.
While the Burmese government manages the felling of teak, the Forest
Department of Burma has no control over this region of the forest where
the logging area is controlled by Karen armed groups who strike deals
with illegal loggers who sneak in from the Thai side.
Securing ceasefire agreements gave rebel groups access to forest
machinery and milling equipment provided by the government, "We have
to go to Tha Byu area of Dona Mountain range to get these kinds of
trees. We have to drive to the eastern part of the forest in the Thai
side and then back to Tha Byu area Burmese side and transport them here
(Three Pagodas Pass)," he claimed.
A source close to the logging business at the border said that 6X4
trucks able to carry 9 to 10 tons and 4X4 trucks carrying 3 tons haul
about 200 tons of ironwood for the furniture industry daily across the
border.
One ton of Rock Dammar logs fetches between 17,000 and 18,000 baht,
Ironwood 9,000, and the Gum-Kino tree 11,000.
As the area is too far from the border town and a long days drive, the
businessmen select only trees that offer high value, not others. Iron
trees are not easily found along the Burma border, as most have been
logged, the Mon timber worker said. They have to drive for an hour to
get from the Thai side into the Tha Byu area, Kyar-in-Seik-Kyi
Township, Karen State.
The businessmen claim to make only about 500 baht in profits for one
ton of logs after taxes and fuel, they pays taxes to the three Karen
armed groups; namely Karen National Union, Karen Peace Force,
Democratic Karen Buddhist Army and also the SPDC. The two armed groups
(KPF and DKBA) split from the KNU and reached a cease-fire with the
Burmese junta. Many Mon timber businessmen approach the armed groups
for their trading business, sources said.
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