As seen on Vientiane Times

Officials have discovered more than 4,732 cubic metres of logs amounting to over 45.6 billion kip (more than US$5.6 million) have been cut down in Xieng Khuang province without permission from authorities.

Deputy Director General of the Department of Forest Inspection under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Mr Thongphanh Ratanalangsy said on Tuesday that the logs were discovered following an inspection by officials in charge after the issue was raised by local residents.

He spoke to local media in a press conference held at the National Assembly (NA) in response to the issue raised through the NA’s ordinary session hotline.

A local resident raised doubt over the regularity of logging in Mok district in a northern province and called on the relevant sectors to look into it.

The illegal logs were being cut by three companies, who had received a quota from the government to cut logs, however they had all exceeded the approved quota.

The logs were cut down in the district near the Laos and Vietnam border.

According to Article 127 of the Law on Forestry, an individual who violates the law criminally through illegal logging, deforestation and the burning of forest areas will be fined double the amount of the loss. This means that the three companies should be fined 91.2 billion kip, according to the law.

In addition, the three companies responsible for the illegal logging may be charged with criminal cases under the Criminal Law.

According to Article 139 of the Criminal Law, an individual that cuts down trees in forest areas through deforestation, burning forest areas and other forms of damaging the forest unlawfully will be imprisoned for between three months and one year.

In case the action has caused massive damage to a forest, the wrongdoers are subjected to potential imprisonment of between one and five years.

Mr Thongphanh said officials in charge have reported this to the government with recommended charges against the wrongdoers according to the relevant laws.

He told the press conference that the recent investigation also suggested that there used to be groups who entered Laos from the Vietnam side in order to take part in illegal logging in Laos and then transfer the logs back into Vietnam.

However, the actions allegedly conducted by residents of the neighbouring country were not found in this recent investigation.

Illegal logging has been reported as an ongoing issue occurring in many provinces across Laos.