Teak Logging in Trans-Boundary Watershed -A Historical Case Study of the Ing River Basin in Northern Thailand

3B31 Teak Logging in Trans-boundary Watershed -A Historical Case Study of the Ing River Basin in Northern Thailand- LAOHACHAIBOON Suphawat and TAKEDA Shinya (ASAFAS, Kyoto Univ.) 1. Introduction However, the operation of teak logging in the Ing River basin was not without difficulties and unfulfilled From the end of the nineteenth century, the competition from other two British logging companies. northern part of Siam (Thailand) was a focal area of teak In 1901, the Bombay Burmah Trading logging in which the British and the French apparently Corporation asked to work the Ing forests but the plan was contested over the rights to access teak resources. Strikingly, not realized. That was because the Corporation could not the practices of teak logging did not only occur in the Chao overcome the insurmountable obstacles of extracting teak Phraya watershed, the main river basin in the country, but logs into the Mekong River and was unable to penetrate also in the trans-boundary watersheds of the Salween and local market along the River. Four years later, in 1906, the the Mekong River. As a tributary of the Mekong watershed, Siam forest Company Limited sought a grant of concession the Ing River basin was naturally abundant with teak in the Ing forests especially those located in Nan district, in resources. It became a significant region of which the adjacent to Ngao forests where the Company was working. process of teak logging was distinctively executed by the To be noted, the Company could work in a southern section French and affected by the particular condition. This study of the Ing forests but had to export teak timbers into the was aimed to probe into the teak logging circumstances in Yom River, a tributary of the Chao Phraya watershed, trans-boundary area particularly in the Ing River basin. instead of the Mekong one. Undoubtedly, the Company encountered various hindrances in trying to work the 2. Material and Methods forests against the natural watershed. This study was carried out by documentary The process of teak logging in the Ing River research, interview and field observation. Firstly, the basin started from the felling of teak trees in the upper archival documents from National Archive Thailand watershed, in Ban Tam Nai and Ban Ronghai near Phayao together with the French documents provided details of province. Then, they were sent via the River passing information authorized by the Government of Siam and Theong district where some of teak logs were processed in certain points of view from the French. Secondly, oral a sawmill. After that, teak logs were made into rafts in history gained from the interviews with people living at Chiang Khong district, located at the mouth of the Ing Theong and Chiang Khong district, in Chiang Rai province River before being floated down into the Mekong River. importantly revealed numerous engaging aspects of the Remarkably, the floating of timbers in this region was teak logging by the French. Thirdly, the route of teak dangerous and cumbersome due to “Lhong”, the naturally logging traced along the Ing River substantiated the tortuous part of the River. To solve the problem, the French existence of teak logging operation of the French as well as Company cut a canal joining up two ends of a large geographical characteristics in the Mekong watershed. horse-shoe bend which in turn facilitated the floating of teak rafts, with less impairment, time consumption and distance. 3. Results and Discussion After being extracted into the Mekong River, There existed quite a few of foreign logging teak logs were floated in piece and moored by Khmus companies proposing to the Government of Siam to work laborers at Vientiane before they were stockpiled at the teak forests in the Ing River basin located in the Kemmarat and then sent for teak rafting near Savannaket. Mekong watershed. Among them, it was the French East When teak rafts floated near the Khone Rapids, in Asiatique Company Limited that finally won the Sipandon, some were dismantled into piece one by one to concessions and began working the Ing forests in 1909. be able to pass small gorges between islands, while others Significantly, there were two intertwined factors were loaded by a train on the Don Khone Island before which enabled the French logging company to practice teak being assembled again to float to the final destination in logging in the Ing River basin. Saigon. Firstly, the French triumphs of territorial disputes with Siam over the left bank of the Mekong River 4. Concluding Remarks in 1893, and particularly the right bank of the same River in A case study of teak logging in the Ing River 1904 accommodated her ambition with the possibility to basin unveiled that the French East Asiatic Company work the Ing forests. Limited was successful in operating teak logging in this Secondly, teak logging in the Ing River basin watershed because teak timbers had no other way but to be was crucially restricted by the geographical features of the transported along the geographical limit into the Mekong Mekong watershed, its natural drainage system. The French River. Even though efforts of other logging companies were East Asiatic Company Limited, representing the French seen as well to extract teak from the Ing forests along or interests in teak industry, was the only capable against the natural drainage, none could accomplish its concessionaire based upon the route of teak logging aspiration to practice the teak logging in the Ing forests geographically encompassing over the French-controlled without struggles with impediments shaped by Mekong River. geographical features in the Mekong watershed. (問合せ先：Suphawat Laohachaiboon, [email protected].) .

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