Forest rangers and sanctuary officials cut down around 400 rubber trees illegally planted in a wildlife sanctuary last December 5.
According to a report by The Nation, armed officials, following Article 25 of the National Reserve Forest Act, removed the trees in the Khao Prabangkram Wildlife Sanctuary in Krabi’s Klong Thom district.
The trees were around eight years old and planted in a 0.8 hectare space.
Sanctuary officials cut down the rubber trees after nobody showed up to claim ownership of the plantation, though, palm oil planters were believed to be the ones who planted the rubber trees.
During a crackdown on forest encroachers in 2013, an official was shot dead and one was injured. This time, officials are careful to prevent similar assaults.