Jail Terms For Dog Smugglers

[Lite Beer]

Jail terms for dog smugglers

By The Nation

The Nakhon Phanom Provincial Court Monday sentenced each of four dogsmuggling gang members to an eight month, 10day jail term plus the fines ranging from Bt12,000 to Bt22,400 before reducing the punishments by half on the grounds of their confessions.

The court also seized the four sixwheel trucks and 200 cages used in the crime.

Following the seizure of 2,000 dogs while being transported to Vietnam by the four defendants in Nakhon Phanom on August 11, many of the canines, currently kept at the Nakhon Phanom Animal Quarantine Centre, have died as a result of injuries, disease and being kept in crowded conditions. There are only 770 dogs left.

The Nakhon Phanom Provincial Court Monday morning read the verdicts of four related lawsuits against the four defendants who were charged for trading dogs without permission; transporting dogs without permission; cruelty against animals; and having in their possession dogs that weren't yet vaccinated by a veterinarian. After the court informed them of the charges, the defendants pleaded guilty, hence the court went on to read the verdicts.

All received the same jail terms. In addition, Montree Phanklang and Vietnamese man Tran Wan Tan were fined Bt22,400 fine each. Noppadol Chaiwangraj was ordered to pay Bt18,000, Weerawat Sawasdi Bt12,000 fine, and Anusorn Bupphasiri Bt16,000.

The court also ruled that the defendants continued to transport animals for their own benefits with disregard to impacts to society, hence their claim of having families to support weren't sufficient to suspend their jail terms.

-- The Nation 2011-09-26

[fstarbkk]

This verdict is great step in the right direction for animal rights in Thailand. Kudos to the officials who made the case and for the Judges who finished the job!

It seems that, despite woefully inadequate animal rights legislation, it IS possible for the authorities to deal with the kind of scum who would treat animals as this lot did, using existing laws and regulations. One can only pray that the police would use this example to deal with other people who abuse or exploit animals.

Also, with continued media coverage of this and similar stories, the pressure on legislators might rise to the point where they have to enact better laws. Well, one can dream, right?

[mogoso]

This verdict is great step in the right direction for animal rights in Thailand. Kudos to the officials who made the case and for the Judges who finished the job!

It seems that, despite woefully inadequate animal rights legislation, it IS possible for the authorities to deal with the kind of scum who would treat animals as this lot did, using existing laws and regulations. One can only pray that the police would use this example to deal with other people who abuse or exploit animals.

Also, with continued media coverage of this and similar stories, the pressure on legislators might rise to the point where they have to enact better laws. Well, one can dream, right?

But isn't this just transporting food? Lots of folk eat dogs. I haven't eaten a mammal in over forty years and I see truck loads of pigs and cattle. I don't like to know that their going to meet a violent death, yet I know many people will gain from their being available to eat the animal flesh. I don't see much of a difference between eating cattle horse or dog they are alive and sentient. I watch the dog laying at my feet, bark and move his feet while dreaming. But I understand why people eat animals and don't fault them (well not much) but most of these strays would provide food energy for working folk.

[toybits]

Then, I hop they do the same to this person driving this vehicle in Chiang Rai (see attached photo). I have another photo with his license plate number.

[Arkady]

The sentences were a step in the right direction but far too light - only 4 months each. They will be out and doing the same thing again soon. Four years would have been more appropriate and would have sent out the right signals to animal torturers. I have seen dogs howling in pain and fear twisted up in unimaginable positions in tiny cages outside a dog restaurant in Hanoi, waiting for their turn to be bludgeoned to death. These people should be forced into similar positions in cages for a few hours a day to get a better sense of what they have done.

[fstarbkk]

The sentences were a step in the right direction but far too light - only 4 months each. They will be out and doing the same thing again soon. Four years would have been more appropriate and would have sent out the right signals to animal torturers. I have seen dogs howling in pain and fear twisted up in unimaginable positions in tiny cages outside a dog restaurant in Hanoi, waiting for their turn to be bludgeoned to death. These people should be forced into similar positions in cages for a few hours a day to get a better sense of what they have done.

I agree that the sentences are light. But considering that the last successful prosecution of animal cruelty in Thailand, some years ago, resulted in a THB 2000 fine, this IS progress. Even if we accept the premise of animals as a source of food, I feel that every reasonable measure should be taken to minimize the suffering of those animals, before they end up on our dinner plates.

Personally, I understand myself as an omnivore for whom animal protein is an integral part of a balanced diet. But as a society we consume more and more cheap meat from factory farms, who keep costs down by raising and slaughtering animals under unimaginably horrid conditions. If we were willing to pay a little more for our meat, consume a little less and take an active interest where the meat comes from, a lot of suffering could be avoided.

Since companion animals such as cats and dogs are more likely to evoke sympathy from large parts of society, they are good entry point to opening the discussion about the broader question of how we treat our fellow sentient beings on this planet and the responsibilities we have toward them.

[CMExpat79]

MOGOSO - re the dogs being used as food is they are not killed with an ounce of humanity at all. Some of these people believe that the meat will be tastier if the dogs are in pain before they die, hence alot of these dogs are tortured and then skinned alive before they are eventually killed and eaten. I know this is shocking, but this is a reality, and for me personally one that utterly disgusts me.

I for one think these men being prosecuted is indeed a wonderful step in the right direction, and keep my fingers crossed that this is the start of good things to come with more animal rights in thailand!

[cdnski12]

Dog catchers come down our soi about 1 day per month. I'd like to load the whole lot of "barking @ 2:00am canines" onto the trucks, for shipment to Vietnam! A dog is no different than a moo, whoa, gwai, plagh, khon or gai. They are all raised for human consumption. Thai's eat snakes, rats, insects, land crabs, snails, etc. It is a real pity that the Thai Govt interfered with these valuable exploiters of the animal food chain. Undoubtedly they have already been replaced and we will see the dog man coming down our soi in the near future. I don't believe i have ever seen a local spayed or neutered dog around our village.

[mogoso]

MOGOSO - re the dogs being used as food is they are not killed with an ounce of humanity at all. Some of these people believe that the meat will be tastier if the dogs are in pain before they die, hence alot of these dogs are tortured and then skinned alive before they are eventually killed and eaten. I know this is shocking, but this is a reality, and for me personally one that utterly disgusts me.

I for one think these men being prosecuted is indeed a wonderful step in the right direction, and keep my fingers crossed that this is the start of good things to come with more animal rights in thailand!

I been in a few slaughter houses in Colombia where my inlaws sold their cows after their usefulness as a milker was over. It's not just dogs who are put in pain before death comes to them, but not for the same reasons. Even the animals whom are put down quickly feel fear, they can smell the death around them, can hear animals in front of the line dying crying out. But it is the way of life, to continue it takes other life. Only most plants don't take somethings life to live, but they prefer to have organic matter to live on.

[TAWP]

Dog catchers come down our soi about 1 day per month. I'd like to load the whole lot of "barking @ 2:00am canines" onto the trucks, for shipment to Vietnam! A dog is no different than a moo, whoa, gwai, plagh, khon or gai. They are all raised for human consumption. Thai's eat snakes, rats, insects, land crabs, snails, etc. It is a real pity that the Thai Govt interfered with these valuable exploiters of the animal food chain. Undoubtedly they have already been replaced and we will see the dog man coming down our soi in the near future. I don't believe i have ever seen a local spayed or neutered dog around our village.

No, dogs are in general not raised as food. And the dogs in this article clearly was not.

You wouldn't object if someone stole your child's pet, be what it may, to ship it off as food in another country?

[canopy]

No, dogs are in general not raised as food. And the dogs in this article clearly was not.

You wouldn't object if someone stole your child's pet, be what it may, to ship it off as food in another country?

A strange comment. Speaking for my area, such dogs are eagerly sold by the owners that raised them. I wonder what would happen if they couldn't sell them. Owners are irresponsible and overwhelmed with unwanted litters. This is the only thing that keeps the dog population in check.

Edited October 15, 2011 by canopy

[barrybankruad]

The way that the majority of Thais treat their dogs leaves much to be desired. They never appear to be neutered, never treated for ailments especially mange, if people in say the UK treated their animals the way that far too many Thais do, they would end up in court. An injection for a bitch to stop her coming on heat is about 90 baht, for mange about 60 baht, will the average Thai spend this money on their animals, no way, not in rural Thailand anyway.

The buying of unwanted dogs for transportation to Vietnam for consumption was a method of controlling the population. Already in my village I have noticed the increase in the number of dogs since this practice has been stopped. What is the answer? Perhaps better regulation of the dog trade ensuring the transportation was more humane. Free spaying of bitches or male castration. Educating people to care for their animals. This however is Thailand, and I have no doubt that the cruel methods of transportation will eventually resume, and the Thais will continue to ignore the well-being of their animals.