Soldiers from the Lat Ya Task Force joined forces with forestry officials to arrest three suspects operating backhoes and tractors who were encroaching and clearing land in the Khao Chang Phueak National Reserved Forest near the Sangkhlaburi border.
Major General Chalermchai Chadjai, Commander of the 9th Infantry Division and head of Surasi Task Force, issued orders for security units in Kanchanaburi border areas to intensify strict prevention and suppression of border violations. On 19 Oct 2026 at 14:30, Colonel Sarayut Soralum, Commander of the 19th Infantry Regiment and Lat Ya Task Force leader, instructed Colonel Janayut Prasertphongthorn, Deputy Commander, to coordinate with Mr. Akkaradech Wongkansin, Director of Forest Resource Management Office 10 (Ratchaburi), and Mr. Chakrit Suejai, Forest Ranger and Assistant Head of Forest Protection Unit KJ.5 (Songkalia), to lead combined forces of Lat Ya Task Force soldiers, forest protection unit KJ.5, and forestry development officers in Sangkhlaburi to investigate reports from an anonymous citizen tip about illegal land encroachment and unauthorized backhoe excavation in Ban Phra Chedi Sam Ong, Nong Lu Subdistrict, Sangkhlaburi District, Kanchanaburi Province, within the Khao Chang Phueak National Reserved Forest.
Upon joint inspection of Ban Phra Chedi Sam Ong, Village 9, Nong Lu Subdistrict, Sangkhlaburi District, opposite Bo Nippon Village, Myanmar border, officials found two violations under forestry law. They arrested Mr. Lui, 28, a Myanmar national without an ID card, seizing a backhoe and a Komatsu PC56-7 excavator as evidence, and confiscated 0-0-34 rai of illegally cleared forest land.
In the second case, two suspects, Mr. Chanton, 49, and Mr. Boonkerd, 38, both from Ratchaburi Province, were arrested with two pieces of equipment: a Komatsu PC60-5 backhoe and a Kubota M9808 New tractor. Authorities confiscated 0-2-14 rai of forest land that had been illegally cleared.
Overall, the operation uncovered two offenses with a total of 2 rai 48 square wah of forest land encroached. Three suspects were arrested, and authorities seized two backhoes and one tractor.
After the arrests, the team documented the seizures and arrests, compiled evidence, and transferred the suspects and seized items to Sangkhlaburi Police Station for legal proceedings under forestry law.