Illegal Logging in Cambodia

This article talks about poor Cambodian Farmers, smuggling valuable rosewood out of the country, and even stealing it from Thai forests. The demand for the precious wood in China, is making people do things that they normally wouldn’t have done. For Cambodian loggers, that means having to push farther into Thailand’s territory—risking capture, injury or death. I am not particularly interested in Logging per-se, but learning about different cultures, and what people are willing to do in order to make a living fascinates me. They are good people, and not trying to justify any of it, they are basically forced to do illegal things because they want to help provide for their families. Of all of the countries we are going to visit, I believe that Cambodia is one of the poorest. It will be interesting to learn about the culture, and economic growth of Cambodia this spring. – Ben Rindlisbacher

Here is the link: http://www.economist.com/node/21541871