
The bombshell that recently hit the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) has cast a much-needed spotlight on the agency.
The arrest of Rutchada Suriyakul Na Ayutya, DNP director-general, has shocked a society that presumed the agency was focused on its guardianship of forest and wildlife. Yet for conservationists who have worked with the DNP, this alleged malfeasance is not a surprise but is a symptom of a long-standing problem.