Close-up of the illegal timber route near the Western Nghe An border
(Baonghean.vn) - Taking advantage of the border patrol route of Laos, illegal timber lines can easily access the primeval forest of the Western Nghe An border to illegally exploit wood.
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| To reach the starting point of the Lao border patrol route, go through Thong Thu border gate for about 5 km, to Nam Tay village, Xam Tay district, Hua Phan province. Here there will be a left turn to join the border patrol route. In the photo: The beginning of the Lao border patrol route, in Nam Tay village. |
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| This route has only been shaped by the construction unit, and the road surface has been covered with dirt and rocks. |
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| According to Xam Tay district officials, due to lack of funding, the Lao government allowed the Thoong Shovel Company (winning the construction contract) to exploit timber on both sides of the road. Therefore, the forests on both sides of the road have been cut down. Currently, due to natural disasters, the road has been degraded and damaged in many sections. In the photo: Working group of Nghe An province and Xam Tay district (Laos) inspect the scene. |
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| A common image on the Lao border patrol is bare mountains due to logging or slash-and-burn farming. |
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| Along the Lao border patrol route, there are many places to hide processed wood. In the photo: Mr. Luu Nhat Thanh - Deputy Head of the Forest Protection Department of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve checks wood hidden along the patrol route of Laos. |
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| The Lao border patrol road is only separated from the Pu Hoat Nature Reserve by a valley and a mountain slope, approximately 1km. Therefore, it is very convenient for illegal loggers. In 2014, in this valley, Lao authorities caught a case of illegal logging from Vietnamese forests. |
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| On the way to patrol the Lao border, the working group of Nghe An province stopped at Pa Khom village, one of the 9 Mong villages bordering Vietnam in the two districts of Xam Tay and Muong Quan, Hua Phan province. In the photo: Pa Khom village elder, Mr. Cha Vu Tho, talks with the working group. |
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| Many households in Pa Khom village have sa mu wood piled around their houses. In the photo: Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu - Deputy Director of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve recorded the image of sa mu wood around the house of a household in Pa Khom village. |
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| During a field trip to patrol the Lao border, the working group helped Xam Tay district discover and seize over 20m3Illegal wood, is samu and po mu wood |
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| Where will the illegal timber be consumed? When asked, all Lao officials confirmed: Illegal timber is brought to Vietnam for consumption. And there are many routes for illegal timber. It could be through Nghe An. It could also be through Ha Tinh, Thanh Hoa, and even Lai Chau provinces. In the photo: Tha Lau border gate of Laos in Xam Tay district; on the other side is Kheo border gate, in Bat Mot commune, Thuong Xuan district, Thanh Hoa province. |
