TRADE OF SHAME
Conservation group calls on Thailand to ban ivory trade


WWF's representative presents a petition signed by 500,000 people urging Thai govt to ban ivory trade.//Photo : Voravit Pumpuang

BANGKOK: -- Thailand should use an international meeting in Bangkok aimed at saving threatened species to ban its ivory trade, a conservation group said Wednesday.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) presented Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra with a petition signed by 500,000 people from 200 countries urging her to announce a ban at next month’s meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

"We will consider the issue and how we can help," said Yingluck, who was scheduled to open the meeting Sunday.

Thailand’s ivory trade has been blamed for fuelling the smuggling of elephant tusks from Africa, which, the WWF said, claims about30,000 pachyderms a year.

The WWF has urged members of the convention to impose sanctions on Thailand if its government does not take measures to stop the illegal trade in African ivory.

Although Thailand is signatory to the convention and abides by the treaty’s ban on trade in African ivory, Thai law allows the sale of ivory taken from domesticated Asian elephants registered in Thailand.

Conservationists charged that Thailand’s legal trade in elephant tusks provides an opening for African ivory illegally smuggled into the kingdom.

"There are about 1,500 domesticated male elephants registered in Thailand, providing less than 100 pairs of tusks on the market every year, and yet there are more than 5,000 shops dealing in ivory products," said Janpai Ongsiriwittaya, WWF’s wildlife trade campaign manager. "It doesn’t add up."

The Thai government vowed in 2004 to better regulate its domestic ivory industry, but conservationists charge it has failed to do so.


-- The Nation 2013-02-27

She looks uncomfortable.

Meanwhie deputy prime minister red lips has announced that its not illegal to trade in African Elephant ivory smuggled into Thailand as long as its done on the last Friday of the month.

Edited February 27, 201313 yr by Kananga

"We will consider the issue and how we can help," said Yingluck, who was scheduled to open the meeting Sunday.

Problem solved. New committee with at least one hundred million baht budget to study the issue. Next one please.

A political non committal answer of course so then she can ring big brother for what to say. Very sad this country and the lives of the elephants are in her hands right now. And why can the traders use buffalo and cow horns? Easier to obtain, the Chinese can't be that superstitious can they? Oh never mind. Stupid is as stupid does and this is one tradition I refuse to respect.

It is a good cause, but we need to be reminded that from 2007 till 2011 the WWF actively supported the ivory trade and campaigned for the stockpiles in Africa to be sold to China. We need to remember also that the honorary president of WWF went on elephant hunting last year and killed at least one elephant. This same NGO is now suddenly against the hunting and trade in ivory.

Edited February 27, 201313 yr by Wildliferescue

Well Well Well, the pigs have their snout in the trough, this smacks of don't do what we do, do what we say, I have never heard of a ban on Ivory products from one country being allowed to trade in Ivory, animal products from their own country, what hypocrites they are. They speak with fork tongue tonto.

Maybe greenpeace can sail up the river for this conference?

Maybe greenpeace can sail up the river for this conference?

Right another bunch of self serving pukes.

Maybe greenpeace can sail up the river for this conference?

Right another bunch of self serving pukes.

That's as maybe, but when it comes to ivory, I'll put up with them.

Maybe greenpeace can sail up the river for this conference?

They're to busy fighting off the Japs killing whales down in the Antarctic, in this case Australia is as guilty as Thailand as to doing anything positive , frightened the Japs will shove their Iron ore and Toyota's up where the sun don't shine and go else where, it's called money , Bob Carr ( Foreign Minister)is like Thai pollies, all talk.

Maybe greenpeace can sail up the river for this conference?

They're to busy fighting off the Japs killing whales down in the Antarctic, in this case Australia is as guilty as Thailand as to doing anything positive , frightened the Japs will shove their Iron ore and Toyota's up where the sun don't shine and go else where, it's called money , Bob Carr ( Foreign Minister)is like Thai pollies, all talk.

Actually that would be the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society under Paul Watson's leadership giving the whale killing Japs a hard time down in the southern ocean. Greenpeace has bigger fish to fry so to speak.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Watson

Edited February 27, 201313 yr by ratcatcher

You've got to feel sorry for Thai elephants and the crappy deal they get.

There they are, proud, gentle creatures who could flatten a corrupt politician in a thrice if they felt so inclined, flaunted as the symbol of the nation, used shamelessly to flog a second rate beer and yet they can't even get protection in return.

I have deleted a nonsensical hub post and the reply to it.

Maybe greenpeace can sail up the river for this conference?

They're to busy fighting off the Japs killing whales down in the Antarctic, in this case Australia is as guilty as Thailand as to doing anything positive , frightened the Japs will shove their Iron ore and Toyota's up where the sun don't shine and go else where, it's called money , Bob Carr ( Foreign Minister)is like Thai pollies, all talk.

Actually that would be the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society under Paul Watson's leadership giving the whale killing Japs a hard time down in the southern ocean. Greenpeace has bigger fish to fry so to speak.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Watson

Well I don't like Greenpeace at all but....

They did kick Paul Watson out of the organisation because he was a loose cannon, a crazy. His antics in the Southern Ocean proves that.

BTW, there are no recognised territorial waters down in Antarctica. Some countries have claimed territories but they are not internationally recognised, hence the Aussies govt being placed in a difficult position on what to do.

Whilst I'm not for whaling I'm certainly not for the antics of Watson with his piracy and ramming of ships then crying foul when they start to fight back. I wish he was just locked up and left to rot.

Maybe greenpeace can sail up the river for this conference?

Right another bunch of self serving pukes.

It might be worthwhile including the reasons for your animus... otherwise, it may come across to your readers as a bunch of self-serving... well, never mind.

Edited February 27, 201313 yr by DeepInTheForest

I have deleted a nonsensical hub post and the reply to it.

Thaivisa. Hub of nonsensical replies?

She looks uncomfortable.

Meanwhie deputy prime minister red lips has announced that its not illegal to trade in African Elephant ivory smuggled into Thailand as long as its done on the last Friday of the month.

We all love elephants including the Thai. So I wonder why this evil trade continues. The consumers are Chinese and the ruling class in Thailand are Chinese. Just a thought