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Thailand frees group of 10 Cambodian illegal loggers: Cambodian spokesman

Xinhua, May 18, 2017 Adjust font size:

Thai authorities have released 10 Cambodians accused of illegally logging rosewood in a Thai national park after fining them about 72 U.S. dollars each, a Cambodian spokesman said on Thursday.

The group was caught by Thai military police and park rangers in Pang Sida National Park in Thailand's Sa Kaeo province on Sunday, when they attempted to cut rosewood, Foreign Ministry spokesman Chum Sounry said in a press release.

He added that Thai authorities also seized chainsaws, food, materials and clothes during the crackdown.

"The 10 arrested Cambodians were punished with 2,500 Thai Baht (72 U.S. dollars) each for illegally crossing the border into the national park," the spokesman said. "They were then freed from a prison in Sa Kaeo province on Thursday at 3:00 p.m. (local time)."

According to the spokesman, the Cambodian Consulate General in Sa Kaeo province was working with Thai authorities to repatriate the loggers to Cambodia. Endit