Photo: Chomrom Tongtiew Khao Yai
Khao Yai National Park has asked police to take action against two tourists who were photographed while fishing illegally in the park in Nakhon Nayok province over the weekend.
Chaiya Huayhongtong, the chief of the national park, said that the duo will face two charges, including poaching. The penalties for these offenses include a jail term of up to five years and/or a fine not exceeding 500,000 baht on conviction.
A Facebook user posted images of a man using a fishing rod at a watercourse inside the national park, while a woman sat nearby in the shade.
The user claimed that the photos, taken on August 31 at Thungkwang, went viral and were shared across social media platforms. The tourists were criticised for breaking the law and legal action was demanded by netizens.
Chaiya mentioned that this is the first time this has occurred and vowed to pursue legal action to set an example.
He also revealed that his office is aware that motorcyclists have been inserting steel wool into their vehicles’ exhaust pipes, to reduce noise to meet the park’s requirements.
Once they pass the noise screening and entered the park, however, they remove and discard the steel wool.
Officials find a lot of the wool left by the roadside, which animals in the park, particularly elephants, might find and swallow, according to Pramote Pengbamrung, a Khao Yai official. He also noted that this issue also complicates grass cutting.
