Kanchanaburi: A daring Myanmar gang has been apprehended after illegally digging up soil and panning for gold in the forest upstream of Thong Pha Phum National Park. National park officials trekked over 16 kilometers into the forest and laid in ambush for three nights, eventually apprehending one suspect while the rest managed to escape under the cover of darkness, utilizing their knowledge of the terrain.
According to Thai News Agency, the operation involved soldiers from the Surasee Task Force, Thong Pha Phum National Park and Khao Laem National Park officials, Border Patrol Police 135, and Pilok Police Station officers. They conducted a series of raids, arresting 43 individuals, most of whom are identified as migrant workers from Myanmar. The most recent crackdown occurred on November 5th when officials, responding to a CCTV surveillance image of a 13-rai area in Ban Pilok Kee, detected a group suspected of gold panning operations. They observed 15-20 individuals moving up and down a hill at night and deployed a patrol to ambush the suspects.
During the operation, the suspects were alerted and used the darkness to flee. However, officers discovered a man hiding in a hole, later identified as Mr. Soe Ket, a 34-year-old Myanmar national. Authorities seized eight kilograms of gold ore soil, a sword, ammunition, mobile phones, and gold panning equipment. Mr. Soe Ket was taken to Pilok Police Station and faced legal proceedings on six charges, including encroachment on a Class 1A forest area and possession of weapons without a permit.
The encroached area, spanning over 27 rai, is designated as a Class 1A watershed forest, where any alteration is prohibited. The gold panning activities have caused significant damage to the ecosystem. The park authorities have vowed to intensify patrols and take legal action against offenders, in line with the policy of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Mr. Suchart Chomklin. The Deputy Prime Minister has prioritized addressing illegal gold panning in protected forest areas, emphasizing strict enforcement against encroachers.