Thailand: Police deploy force to protect ripe durian

Ao Cho Police Station (Mueang Trat, in Trat Province, Eastern Thailand) developed the plan after farmers complained that thieves had sneaked into their plantations at night and plundered ripe durians. tree. They believe the thieves are locals because they know how to pick the fruit very well.

The campaign to protect began earlier this week at an orchard owned by a 55-year-old farmer in the Huang Nam Khao sub-district. This farmer has just been robbed of durian worth nearly 1 million baht (equivalent to 683 million VND).

Ao Cho Chief Inspector Ariyachai Thima said the damage from last year's durian thefts in Trat province was estimated at several million baht, with the number of durians stolen running into the tons.

According to Mr. Ariyachai, the urgency of the problem has forced the police and local farmers to work together to develop a plan to protect the fruit.

Farmers who sign up for durian care will receive special attention from the police, especially at night when the gangs of thieves are most active.

The police force will patrol the area in two shifts, 6pm to midnight and midnight to dawn.

The surveillance campaign will last until all durians are picked and sold.

“We want to bring peace of mind to farmers, as they already have to worry about other problems, like drought and devaluation,” said Mr. Ariyachai. According to Thaiger, durian theft is not only recorded in Trat province.

Recently, Nattaporn Saiparnwitthaya, 48, owner of a durian plantation in Nakhon Ratchasima, revealed that he has lost 10 Monthong durian trees about a year old.

Nattaporn said he couldn't imagine how the thieves were able to move the durian trees without anyone noticing.

Mr. Nattaporn has lost more than 30 durian trees in the past two years.