Ivory Traders Must Register By January: Thai Govt

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NEW RULE

Ivory traders must register by January

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- All businesses involved in the trade or production of ivory items must register by next month, the government says.

"If we find that any shop or manufacturing facility is involved in the use of illegally-trafficked ivory, we will revoke their business licence," Theerapat Prayurasiddhi, deputy director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), said yesterday.

The DNP will also require them to adopt a system that clearly identifies the origin of the ivory.

Domesticated elephants have identification papers so their ivory can be sold, according to Thai law.

The DNP wants to strictly control the trade after huge illegal shipments have been discovered in Thailand and nearby countries in recent times. Some 10 tonnes of African elephant ivory has been seized in Thailand over the past three years, and last week officials in Malaysia intercepted more than 1,000 tusks - the biggest ever shipment, weighing 24 tonnes - hidden in two containers allegedly sent from Togo in west Africa.

The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has informed Thailand that it must urgently address this.

According to the DNP, the Secretariat has threatened to recommend its country members to suspend trade with Thailand in merchandise like crocodile hides, orchids and wildlife products. This trade is worth billions of baht. More than 170 countries are members of CITES.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk wants the DNP to tackle the problem fast.

Bangkok will host the 16th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES in March.

Most ivory businesses and plants are located in Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Surin, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Bangkok. They will have to provide proof of origin of any ivory they have, develop reliable book-keeping methods and issue sales receipts to buyers.

They have been told they should not sell to foreign tourists because some of them end up running afoul of laws in their home countries banning such products. During the past five years, 277 foreigners have been arrested in Europe, the US and Australia for carrying ivory products from Thailand.

"This is not good for Thailand's image," Theerapat added.

-- The Nation 2012-12-18

[Thai at Heart]

Registered legal ivory trade?

New one on me that one.

[fareastguy]

Quote: Bangkok will host the 16th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES in March.

​That's going to be an embarrassing affair, given that Thailand is one of the biggest offenders & has been threatened with having trade cut to more than 170 countries who are members of CITES.

But as always Thailand has a loophole to get out of trouble.. Domesticated elephants have identification papers so their ivory can be sold, according to Thai law, easy just domesticate or come up with papers for any elephant in the vicinity & cut off it's ivory.. "no problem"

[Misterwhisper]

Just ban ivory trading altogether, as well as the manufacturing of items from ivory. There exists not one single product that depends on the use of natural ivory.

The OP shows a photo of religious statuettes, including one of a revered monk. How is it compatible with Buddhism to know that an elephant probably had to be killed to carve these items? It's even worse for purely decorative dust collectors such as the pictured tusk carved out as a line of - ironically - elephants. Use plastic and no-one apart from an expert will be able to tell the difference anyway.

[noitom]

They are just getting around to this now. Threatening, blustering, puffing and all the hot air and flatulence that they can put out to "look like" they are doing something. What a laugh this Thailand is and the whole world knows it.

[zakk9]

"This is not good for Thailand's image," Theerapat added.

Yeah... it's only bad if it's not good for Thailand's image

[chainarong]

I thought the trading in Ivory WAS illegal.

[bigbamboo]

Why do we need an ivory trade?

[jaltsc]

"If we find that any shop or manufacturing facility is involved in the use of illegally-trafficked ivory, we will revoke their business licence..."This is not good for Thailand's image," Theerapat added."

Then this move will eradicate the ivory business just as making prostitution illegal eliminated that trade. This will be great for Thailand's image. I can see the new tourist ad campaign: "Thailand. We make Disneyland look like Sodom and Gomorrah" .

[Misterwhisper]

"If we find that any shop or manufacturing facility is involved in the use of illegally-trafficked ivory, we will revoke their business licence..."This is not good for Thailand's image," Theerapat added."

Then this move will eradicate the ivory business just as making prostitution illegal eliminated that trade. This will be great for Thailand's image. I can see the new tourist ad campaign: "Thailand. We make Disneyland look like Sodom and Gomorrah" .

Huh? Only revoke their business license when they are using illegal ivory? Why not revoke their license AND fine them heavily AND imprison them? Oh, I forgot, we're in Thailand...

[brianP]

I would like to shove those ivory tusks so far up their greedy asses, we could make a good start yanking out their teeth.

Just ban ivory trading altogether, as well as the manufacturing of items from ivory. There exists not one single product that depends on the use of natural ivory.

The OP shows a photo of religious statuettes, including one of a revered monk. How is it compatible with Buddhism to know that an elephant probably had to be killed to carve these items? It's even worse for purely decorative dust collectors such as the pictured tusk carved out as a line of - ironically - elephants. Use plastic and no-one apart from an expert will be able to tell the difference anyway.

The synthetic substitutes are much better in all aspects and even age with a patina as ivory does. It's a shame a mad scientist doesn't grow and manufacture these and finally get rid of the slaughter once and for all.

[hellodolly]

I read the headline and my first thought was good for you Thailand finaly doing the right thing/

Then I read the article

"According to the DNP, the Secretariat has threatened to recommend its country members to suspend trade with Thailand in merchandise like crocodile hides, orchids and wildlife products. This trade is worth billions of baht. More than 170 countries are members of CITES."

Doing the right thing for the wrong reason. Thailand should have been one of the countries setting up the DNP