KANCHANABURI — Illegal gold prospectors in a national park in this western province have been accused of deliberately setting forest fires to distract authorities and cover their tracks as they flee from rangers, according to senior park officials.

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More than 800 hotspots have been detected in Thong Pha Phum National Park this month alone, and many of the fires were allegedly started intentionally by illegal gold hunters, according to Rachan Buasri, director of the 3rd Conservation Area Administration Office. The tactic, officials say, is a deliberate strategy: by igniting fires, the prospectors create chaos and confusion, forcing park rangers and firefighters to divert resources away from pursuit and toward fire suppression.

Park chief Yutthapong Dumsrisuk said the prospectors also occasionally fire guns to scare officials while escaping, adding an element of armed intimidation to their activities. The forest fires, he said, are now spreading beyond Thong Pha Phum into neighbouring Khao Laem National Park, threatening larger areas of pristine forest and wildlife habitat.

Helicopters and officials from multiple agencies have been deployed to contain the fires, Yutthapong said, but he admitted that many of the blazes are burning in elevated mountainous areas that are difficult for ground crews to access. The rugged terrain, combined with the deliberate nature of the arson, has made firefighting efforts exceptionally challenging.

Authorities step up wildfire containment in Thong Pha Phum, suspecting illegal gold mining as a diversion.

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Illegal gold prospecting has long been a problem in parts of Kanchanaburi, where small-scale miners dig and pan for gold in restricted areas, often using mercury and other toxic chemicals that contaminate waterways. What appears to be a new and more dangerous development is the alleged use of arson as a tactical tool to evade arrest. By setting fires, prospectors can force rangers to retreat or shift priorities, buying themselves time to escape with their equipment and any gold they have extracted.

So far this year, 11 suspects have been arrested and charged with arson for starting forest fires in the area. However, officials believe many more remain active, and the detection of over 800 hotspots in a single month suggests that the practice is widespread. Each arrest requires painstaking investigation, often involving undercover work and surveillance in remote and dangerous terrain.

The environmental toll of the fires is already significant. Beyond the immediate destruction of trees and undergrowth, the blazes contribute to the haze and PM2.5 pollution that plagues western Thailand during the dry season, affecting the health of residents in Kanchanaburi and beyond. Wildlife, already under pressure from habitat loss, faces additional threats as fires destroy nesting sites and food sources.

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Authorities have vowed to intensify their efforts to crack down on both illegal gold prospecting and the arson that accompanies it. But with vast forested areas, limited manpower and a determined network of illegal miners, the battle is far from over. For now, the forests of Thong Pha Phum continue to burn, and the gold hunters continue to dig. Whether the arrest of 11 suspects will deter others remains to be seen, but officials are clear on one point: starting a forest fire is no longer just an environmental crime—it is now a tactic of evasion, and it will be treated as such.

-Thailand News (TN)