Attapon Charoenchansa, director of the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, reported that the black-clad, masked individuals carried out the assault for about 50 minutes. Some staff managed to escape and seek help from nearby residents. Authorities discovered that the sanctuary's gun safe had been breached, with around 10 firearms stolen, and official vehicles in the parking lot were burned.
This marks the first such attack since the sanctuary's establishment in 1996. Hala-Bala is renowned as one of Thailand's best-preserved jungle areas. While the motive remains unclear, some speculate it might be targeting environmental activists opposing habitat destruction or poaching.
The incident occurs against a backdrop of global violence against environmental defenders. A recent report by Global Witness revealed that 196 environmental activists were killed worldwide last year, with the actual number potentially higher due to unreported cases.
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