PHETCHABURI — 22 April 2026, Authorities are gathering evidence to pursue a suspect believed to have started a forest fire while hunting protected wildlife in Kaeng Krachan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, officials said.
Mongkol Chaipakdee, head of the park, said about 5,000 rai (around 800 hectares) of forest have been damaged by the blaze.
Officials also found evidence of poaching in the affected area at Mae Kamei Bon in Nong Ya Plong district, including the carcasses of two gaurs. The animals had been shot dead with a shotgun, with pellets found lodged in their bodies. The remains are being examined to confirm the cause of death as part of the investigation.
Mongkol said authorities have obtained photographs of a suspect believed to have set fires to drive wildlife into the open for hunting. The individual is suspected to be a member of a subdistrict administrative organisation council.
According to investigators, the suspect allegedly entered the forest multiple times using a motorcycle, accompanied by hunting dogs and carrying a shotgun.
The method involved setting fires to flush gaurs into predetermined areas before ambushing them. However, the fires spread uncontrollably, resulting in a wider forest blaze.
Officials found spent shotgun cartridges at the scene, and hunting dogs were also present in the area.
Authorities are expanding the investigation and compiling evidence to identify and prosecute those responsible.
