H IGH-LEVEL Thai military officers and Thai logging firms operating in Cambodia met
to discuss border issues Mar 28. This refutes comments made by Thai Prime Minister
Chavalit Yongchaiyuth to the press and lobby groups that there is no formal cooperation
from the Thai military.
A letter obtained by the Post from Cambodian Ambassador to Thailand Roland Eng to
Foreign Minister Ung Huot and Minister of Agriculture Tao Seng Huor details a meeting
between the Thai National Security Council and Thai timber firms Mar 28.
Eng claims that the meeting was convened to settle all Thai logging companies' proposals
to open all border crossings for Thai loggers to [import] sawn timber from Cambodia.
The Thai Foreign Affairs Officer who revealed the meeting to Eng stated that "the
reason for opening these checkpoints stems from numerous Cambodian ministries wanting
to export sawn timber. As to which ministry made such a demand, the Royal Embassy
hasn't received yet official documents and is still trying to find out the actual
source."
"I think that this is further evidence of complicity between Thai logging companies
and the Thai state. They have always said that isn't the case, and that seems to
indicate that there is a lot of high-level cooperation," said Simon Taylor of
Global Witness.
He says that his organization plans to inform the Consultative Group in Paris next
month.
