Province, district authorities have no right to approve logging
Officials from Vientiane and provincial agriculture and forestry departments across the country attended the one-day meeting where they received an explanation about Prime Ministerial Order No 15 issued on May 13 that details measures to address illegal logging and improve domestic timber business operations. Provincial and district authorities have no right to approve logging and the export of timber, but many local authorities have reportedly granted permission in the past, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry said last week. Given that many local authorities violated the Forest Law in the past by approving logging and permitting wood exports, MrThongphat highlighted that their actions breached the law.
