CityNews – 14th April 2020, police announce another arrest of a fire starter, in Mae Taeng District.
Pradit, a 60 year old man, was arrested with two torches, a lighter, a BB gun, and other bits of fire-lighting paraphernalia, according to police.
On the night of the 13th of April authorities observed through satellite images that there was a hotspot in the Pa Pae sub-district area of Mae Taeng.
Local authorities were alerted and sent to extinguish the fire. On arrival, they found Pradit wandering in the forest. He admitted that he was hunting for banana blossoms in the forest and was warned not to do so in the area and sent off on his way.
Authorities spent the night in the forest patrolling the area and the next day, this morning, they saw Pradit again and he changed his statement to say he was in the forest to hunt civet cats. Because he was acting suspiciously, he was searched and that was when they discovered him with fire-starting paraphernalia, including coconut husk, often used to start fires. Following interrogation, it was discovered that Pradit was in the area of the jungle at the time the satellite discovered the first hotspot. He was then arrested.
Pradit denies all allegations, saying that the lighter and coconut husks were for his personal use in lighting a ciggrette.