Log trading increasing in Three Pagoda

 

Independent Mon News Agency

 

February 14, 2005

 

Log trading is increasing and more than 100 tons of

logs per day are imported into Three Pagoda according

to a logging businessman.

 

"About ten 10-wheel trucks carrying logs reach Three

Pagoda every day. Most of our trucks carry logs from

the Tha Byuud area about 80 kilometers northeast of

Three Pagoda which has good logs," said Nai Thin Htwe,

a businessman who logs there.

 

"We produced more logs compared to last year.  Just

last month the log trade became a business and started

to run well. It has a great price and Thai customers

need a lot of "parkay" (short timber)," said U Maung

Hlaing, the biggest logging business owner in Three

Pagoda Pass.

 

According to businessmen who have run the business

more than 10 years, the log price reached 8,000 baht

per ton and 19,000 baht per ton of ready-made short

timber 4 inches wide and 1 inch thick. which was 6,000

baht per  ton of logs and 16,000 baht per ton of

timber in 2004.

 

"Most of the logs brought from the logging zone made

"parkay" timber for sale. The customers also wanted it

very much," U Maung Hlaing explained.

 

According to furniture factory owners, chairs, sofas

and others furniture is on sale. "If we make dosanarn,

a kind of chair that looks like a  cart wheel has

benefit. All of the products we make such as chairs

are  accepted by all the customers," said Nai Win, a

furniture factory owner.

 

The price of logs and timber in Three Pagoda has not

decreased before because of difficulty getting logs or

because of fewer logs, according to the logging

businessmen.  The expense of logging is cheaper than

the cost of transporting logs, according to Nai Thin

Htwe. "The cost of carrying a ton of logs from

Tha-Byuud is 3,500 baht," he said.

 

According to an environmental worker and resident, the

loss from logging around Three Pagoda has left it

bare, impacting weather in the area.

 

"In the past year during the night time here it was

cold. But now it is  hot day and night," U Min Aung

told his friends at a teashop.

 

According to a Mae Htos Sa villager on the way to Tha

Byuud, the village has less water where they had

enough in the past.  "In the past 10 years, we could

travel by boat all the time in the Zami River. But now

we can't travel in the summer time because there are

less trees to maintain water and nourish the soil,"

said Nai Saryar Januu, a local environmental worker

from Earth Rights International.

 

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