Last week,
we promised we'd tell you more about the serow-oil vendor we met
recently at a gas station. Well, where were we? Oh, we were
talking about that document which the guy claimed helps protect
his business from being ``harassed'' by the authorities.
``What kind of document?'' we asked.
``Remember,'' he began, ``when they introduced the 1992 Wildlife
Conservation Act, and the Forest Department announced that anyone
who had wild animals or their carcasses must go register such
possessions otherwise they would be considered illegal?
``Well, at that time I had four serow carcasses and five live
barking deer so I had them registered. And with the registration
paper, policemen and forestry officials can't arrest me.''
``Don't tell me these serow heads you have here are the same ones
you registered 10 years ago!'' we exclaimed.
``No way!'' he answered. ``You're very funny. Those are long gone.
But as I told you I always get new ones from the hilltribe
hunters.''
``And the officials ... have they ever questioned you about
this?'' We were very curious.
``Sometimes. But I showed them the papers _ that 1992 one and an
older one I've had since the time when Field Marshal Sarit
Thanarat was the prime minister _ and that's it,'' he said
proudly. ``Thanks to these papers, I've even had three rangers
sacked.''
``No kidding,'' we said.
``Well, I used to do this business in another province and I moved
to this location about a year ago. At that time the forestry
people in this area didn't know me,'' he recalled.
``Then one day, I was selling the serow oil to my customers and
the three rangers came out of nowhere and snatched my motorcycle
key. They said my business was illegal and that if I wanted the
key back I must pay them 500 baht.
``I looked at their faces and said `how could such a small amount
be enough for you three?', and I offered them 3,000 baht.
``Those fools took my money and left. So I packed up my things and
rushed off to see their chief and told him I had the right papers
and that his subordinates took a bribe,'' he beamed.
``They were fired. Served them right! From then on, all the
forestry people knew me and I never had a problem like that
again.''
Amazing story, isn't it?
We heard Dr Plodprasop Suraswadi has a team at his Royal Forest
Department to monitor everything the media says that concerns the
RFD. So, sir, suppose you wish to have this matter investigated,
we would be happy to act as informants _ free of charge _ and to
give the RFD the name and exact whereabouts of this serow-oil
vendor.
Our fax number and email address are listed at the bottom of this
article.
A couple of weeks ago, we visited a park in Kanchanaburi. Oh, boy,
we saw so many kinds of wildlife _ from serow to barking deer and
sambar deer to wild boar and hare!
Too bad, we didn't see them running around in their entirety _
just their meat in the freezer of a restaurant not so far from the
park.
Sir, we can tell you more about this, too .... if you're
interested, that is. |
