Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan yesterday said the threat was being followed up as it has undermined officials’ morale.

To date, the task force has filed charges against at least 22 people who encroached on about 600 rai of the mangrove area in Phuket. But a few days ago, a “White Shark” taskforce member asked for a transfer following a threat against him and his family.

Speaking after the Cabinet meeting at Government House, the deputy PM gave assurance that the case would be taken care of and the operation to resolve the huge encroachment problem would continue.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Surasak Kanchanarat said he had contacted the Department of Special Investigation, as well as the Internal Security Region Four responsible for security issues in the South to investigate the threat.

In late May, the Marine and Coastal Resources Department carried out a simultaneous operation under the “White Shark” taskforce in several southern provinces including the highly popular Phuket resort area. Its goal is to take back up to 15,000 rai of encroached mangrove areas.

In Phuket, satellite pictures used in the operation show that its mangrove area has shrunk from about 21,000 rai in 1961 to about 13,400 rai. The department had found at least 2,000 rai of the mangrove in the province had been encroached upon.

A senior source at the department said the official who received the threat had been moved to the department’s central office and felt safer now.

The source said the department’s operation would continue but it would step up measures to ensure the safety of its staff.