Authorities in Thailand have arrested a suspect and seized equipment used for illegally cutting so-called “Sacred Stones” in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, following reports of suspicious activity in the area. The operation, carried out on March 22, 2025, uncovered a network of stone extraction believed to be driven by high market demand.
Officials from multiple agencies, including the Conservation Area Management Office 3 (Phetchaburi Branch) and the Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park team, launched a patrol in the Huai Yai Phraew area of Sam Roi Yot District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. Officers on foot detected a group of individuals descending from a mountain and set up an ambush near a pier, where two boats were stationed. Upon confrontation, the suspects abandoned their backpacks and attempted to flee by jumping into the water. While three managed to escape, authorities successfully apprehended a 25-year-old woman, identified as Ms. Bencharat (surname withheld).
A search of the area led to the discovery of multiple tools and evidence linked to stone extraction, including modified backpacks, lawnmowers, chisels, a stone-cutting blade, and rock fragments. A 34-kilogram stone, believed to be one of the sought-after “Sacred Stones,” was also confiscated. These stones, valued in the tens of thousands of baht, fetch even higher prices when carved into religious artifacts, particularly if sourced from locations with auspicious names such as Dragon Cave. Some finished pieces are reportedly sold for hundreds of thousands of baht.
Authorities determined that the group’s actions violated the National Park Act of 2019, specifically Sections 19(2) and 19(6). The arrested suspect was taken to Sam Roi Yot Police Station on the morning of March 23 after refusing to pay a fine. Meanwhile, efforts to track down the remaining individuals are ongoing.
This operation was a joint effort involving national park officials, forest protection officers, and law enforcement under the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division (NRECD). The crackdown aligns with directives from Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Chalermchai Sri-on, who has emphasized stringent measures against forest encroachment and illegal resource extraction.
