By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THE GOVERNMENT WAS PRESSED today (Jan.18) to take action against bribe-taking government officials and black-marketing smugglers of Myanmar cattle in northwestern border areas of Tak.
Democrat leader/former agriculture & cooperatives minister Chalermchai Sri-on called on the Pheu Thai-led government to promptly stop the Thai-Myanmar cattle smuggling rackets in collusion with certain government personnel in border areas of Mae Sot and Popphra districts of Tak.
According to the former agriculture minister, the unidentified government officials based in the northwestern border areas had managed to help the cattle smugglers in exchange for kickbacks.
The Democrat leader did not name names but said the unrestrained smuggling of Myanmar cattle has directly prompted the domestic prices of cattle and beef to plummet, thus affecting domestic livestock raisers and meat merchants since the last several months.
The average price of beef has fallen from 100-plus baht to about 70 baht a kilo at domestic food markets due in part to the black-marketing of the smuggled cattle whilst the prices of animal feed have considerably risen, adversely affecting the livestock farmers, he said.
Tak was reported amongst the northern and northwestern border provinces that are illegal passageways for the smuggling of pork and beef in addition to household livestock.
CAPTION:
Officials and soldiers seized some cattle smuggled across Moei river from Myawaddy in Myanmar to Mae Sot, Tak, Thailand on Dec. 7, 2023, above, and Jan. 7, 2023, Front Page. Both photos: Matichon
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