About 60 vehicles carrying timber from Three Pagodas Pass (TPP) Township, on the Thai-Burma border town, entered Thailand crossing the check-point at 5 a.m. today, even though the border gate has been closed on both sides since May 2005.
Most of the timber are teak, the gum-kino tree, a kind of ironwood tree from Thapyu area, Zemi River in the the Karen National Union (KNU) area.
According to timber businessman in TPP, “All the timber vehicles passed the check-point gate directly by making part payments in advance as taxes to the Lieutenant- Colonel Hla Min in TPP�.
The timber businessman said all vehicles paid the taxes for crossing the check-point. The charges are
about 30,000 Kyat per vehicle. Most of them were six wheel and ten wheel vehicles. At least 1.2 million Baht were paid to the Lieutenant- Colonel.
“The timber owners directly paid Daw Saw Khin, a business woman in TPP. They paid her yesterday to get permission for today,� he added. She collected about 30,000 Baht from six wheel vehicles and 50,000 Baht from ten wheel vehicles. She is a trusted person of Lieutenant-Colonel. She has influence over businessmen.
A lumber machine owner said “Most businessmen were unhappy with such high taxes. The businessmen paid only 10,000 Baht earlier.
According to another businessman, the number of timber vehicles entering Thailand is more than before because about 10 vehicles went into Thailand in the past.
Due to vehicles carrying timber, a bridge in quarter (1) in TPP was damaged. The timber carried by the trucks could be well over 100 tons.
“The timber would go to Bangkok directly. Thai businessmen invest in trading in timber,� the timber
businessman said.
The Thai border committee, the Lieutenant-Colonel, and the TPP chairman have a nexus and are involved in allowing vehicles carrying timber passing into Thailand, said the businessman.
He added that the Lieutenant-Colonel Hla Min will go back soon from TPP township because a new military officer who will take charge has arrived in TPP.
Since both authorities closed the border, residents use the way beside the main road. The border was closed after the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) abducted Thai border two policemen on May 22 in Sangkhlaburi District Kanchanburi Province . They were released on May 26.
