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FIGHTING A LOSING BATTLE

Under-paid and under-armed, life is tough for the park rangers

Story by WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM

Three bullets, a faulty rifle and an old, worn-out pick-up truck are all that a park ranger has in fighting off forest encroachers.

"Two bullets are fired as warning shots and the last one is for shooting ourselves with," Manop Maneesri said in jest of the desperation he and other rangers feel in the course of doing their jobs.

Patrolling the Khlong Wang Chao national park in Tak, Mr Manop, 37, said the three bullets and an old rifle loaned to each of the rangers who drive a 30-year-old pick-up truck was not enough to intimidate the well-armed encroachers, who are mostly Hmong highlanders.

Mr Manop likened the rangers' fragile defences to a "toothpick" compared with the modern, powerful war weapons carried by encroachers.

Their plight came to national attention on March 23 when Viroj Chuakaopim, chief of the Ban Pha Phueng national park close to the Khlong Wang Chao park, was killed in a hail of bullets fired by forest intruders - illegal loggers and traffickers.

They move through the forests in small groups to evade patrols.

Mr Manop and seven other rangers were dispatched to the national park following Viroj's death, which also scared two other rangers at Ban Pha Phueng into quitting their jobs.

Mr Manop said his team was getting used to being sent out ill-equipped to protect themselves and suppress intruders.

"But I don't fear anything. They killed one of us. Of course, three bullets is not enough. We need war weapons to drive them out," he said.

He said he was prepared to put up with danger, even on his meagre salary of 7,000 baht a month.

As a temporary worker, he is on a yearly contract with the government without any chance of promotion. He is also cut off from entitlements to state welfare and social security coverage.

However, the death of Viroj has put the plight of rangers in the spotlight.

"It helps to get the message across that we're not safe. We live in constant danger from the law breakers," he said.

"Everything is short, from money, communication devices to personnel. And we have to take care of tens of millions of rai of forests.

"The government should look at us and improve our welfare," he said.

Ranger Nimit Luekamlang, 33, also a temporary worker, said his salary has been frozen at 4,900 baht a month for the past eight years that he has been guarding the Khlong Wang Chao park.

He eats at the base and some of the dried food he and other rangers live on is donated by Wat Pa Ban Tad temple in the northeastern province of Udon Thani.

As if his meagre salary was not enough hardship, his paycheck is almost always late. He is close to his last baht from February's pay.

"It's discouraging at times but we love what we do. Love for the job is all we have to hang on to. We should be better cared for," said Mr Nimit.

He said he is unsure if his rifle is in fully usable condition. As for the park's patrol truck, the ride is bumpy and it is not because of the terrain. Rather, it is the chassis which has hardened from three decades of patrol trips.

Thongbai Kamwayo, 47, head of the forest protection unit assisting the Ban Pha Phueng park team, said the living conditions of rangers were desperate.

He has asked for a new rifle and more bullets for the team which is forced to rely on old rifles, some of which could not fire because the barrels were rusty.

Mr Thongbai said he bought his own pistol and sometimes paid for the petrol for the patrol truck himself.

"The rangers here are nearing the end of their rope," he said.

Figures from the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department show that since 2004, 27 park rangers nationwide have died on duty, including Viroj.

Department chief Chalermsak Vanichsombat said from last October to February, encroachment was found on over 7,700 rai of national parks around the country. Most encroachment takes place in Surat Thani, Chumphon and Ranong.

Bangkok Post