Police to arrest torchers of national park buildings

Action is under way to nail those responsible for torching buildings and cars at a national park in this southern province on Thursday.

Satun police chief Pol Maj-Gen Sunthorn Norarat said officials of the Thalae Bun National Park in Khuan Don District had already filed a complaint with his deputy, Pol Col Somchai Uthaisaeng, seeking the arrests of rubber planters who torched buildings and vehicles at the national park on Thursday night.

He said police were in the process of interrogating witnesses and gathering evidence against the suspects.

Investigators will also question national park officials to seek information about the damage of their personal belongings from the fire, Pol Maj-Gen Sunthorn added.

Police had obtained some information to identify those involved in the arson attack already but could not reveal it at this time, he said.

Arrest warrants for suspected arsonists and masterminds are expected to be issued soon after the completion of the investigation, the provincial police chief added.

Meanwhile, deputy Satun governor Veera Lamyaithong said police and security forces had been sent to guard the national park after all park officials had taken leave for fear of danger to their lives.

The provincial governor who was now in Bangkok had already submitted reports on the matter to the Interior and Agriculture ministries and was seeking instructions, he added.

The restoration of the damaged government buildings at the national park may last quite a long time due to the Forestry Department's limited budgets, Mr Veera said.

The arson occurred at about 8 p.m. on Thursday when some 300 rubber planters from Tambon Wang Prachan marched into the park area after their request to cut down old rubber trees in the park was rejected by national park authorities.

These growers had been granted loans from the Office of the Rubber Replanting Aid Fund to cut old rubber trees and replant new ones.

The fire caused damage of about 10 million baht. A sentry box, living quarters, a warehouse, three cars and seven motorcycles were completely destroyed. Nine other living quarters and a car were partly damaged.