PHICHIT, 9 July 2015 – More than 100 farmers in Phichit’s Bung Na Rang District have fallen victim to banana thieves in just one month, in a development that puts more strain on the paddy farmers turned banana growers.
Police from Bung Na Rang Police Station yesterday inspected the many sites of banana theft in Laem Rang sub-district in response to multiple complaints recently lodged by locals that a large quantity of their bananas have been stolen. Some farmers have had their bananas stolen as many as 6-7 times this year. Locals said the thieves have been taking ripe bananas as well as banana blossoms and the leaves of banana trees.
According to Suan Sukyam, sub-district chief for Laem Rang Sub-district, banana theft has become a serious issue because bananas provide local farmers with their only source of income during the dry season. Recently, 7-8 farmers have been reporting banana theft per day on average, and the amount of unreported theft was also significant. In the past one month, some 100 banana growers have reported theft.
The police, banana growers, village headmen, sub-district administrations and volunteers from the villages are now holding joint patrols of banana plantations at night. Road checkpoints have also been set up to prevent theft of bananas and farming equipment. The checkpoints also serve another function as ones for officials conducting drug searches as well.
