Five Cambodians have been arrested for allegedly stealing agarwood from Thailand’s Khao Yai National Park, in the north-eastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima.

Park officials found 1kg of agarwood chips, knives, saws, a flash light and a chisel in their possession.

Veera Khunchairak, director of Protected Area 1 in Prachin Buri, said yesterday (Sunday) that park rangers had been following the group since some of them had snuck into the park area last Friday. All five were caught in Khao Laem forest in Mu Si sub-district.

About 50 Vietnamese nationals, mostly from Quang Binh province, have been arrested by Thai officials since 2008, and 40 of them were caught stealing agarwood from the Phu Khiao Wildlife Sanctuary in Chaiyaphum province. The latest group of five were arrested in the Khon Sarn district of Chaiyaphum on March 26th with 103.5kg of agarwood.

Agarwood obtains its fragrant properties when it is infected by fungi, producing resin as a defence mechanism. The resin has high commercial value and is sought after by poachers. High quality resin is estimated to be priced at between 15,000 and 20,000 baht/kg.