World Bank Is Pressing Thailand To Tighten Its Control Over Tiger Poaching

[webfact]

World Bank urges action against tiger poaching
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- The World Bank is pressing Thailand to tighten its control over illegal poaching and trading in wildlife after finding that the country is a hub of the illicit tiger trade.

"We will ask the Thai prime minister and her government to take serious action against tiger poachers as she seemed interested in this subject, and with her leadership this could be achieved," Keshav Varma, director of the World Bank's Global Tiger Initiative, said yesterday.

A recent study by Traffic and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) showed that Thailand was the most significant location for the interdiction of the live tiger trade, followed by Laos, Indonesia and Vietnam.

"Given the low population estimates for wild tigers in Thailand, Laos and Vietnam combined with the presence of captive tiger facilities within these three countries, there are serious questions as to the source of these live tigers in trade," said Nick Cox, species programme manager for WWF Greater Mekong.

From 2000-12, 1,425 tiger parts were seized across 13 tiger range countries. A total of 654 seizures of body parts ranging from skin and bones to teeth, claws and skulls took place during this period. About 110 tigers were killed on average for trade per year or just over two per week. About 89 per cent of the seizures occurred outside protected areas.

-- The Nation 2013-03-11

[Locationthailand]

Whilst this trade disgusts me, what pray tell has it to do with the World Bank? And further why are Tigers not a protected species - viz tigers being poached are outside 'protected areas'? Protect them all and not designate 'areas'. Imbeciles.

[rattler]

I prefer them fried not poached, but jokes aside Thailand and conservation are two things that really DONT go together.

[nakhonandy]

Unfortunately very few Thais give a s**t about wildlife in any form. Odd as the majority are Buddhists.

They seem to care more about scabby soi dogs than their natural heritage.

This is not just Tigers but also Ivory, Sharks etc.

Education and sanctions are needed to end this.

[bigbamboo]

So now we can add the illegal tiger trade to the list of Thai hubs along with the ivory trade, the prostitution trade, the drug trade, the trafficking trade, the IP trade, the fake goods trade.......

Quite a trading hub.

[puipuitom]

Asians and environment protection ? Look around to all the plastics and other rubbish you see all over Thailand.. It is one big trash dump.

And animals.. May Buddha prevemnt in a next life they wiill suffer only 10% what they did to them.

Wild life: the Asians will kill the last tiger, the last elephant and any other animal the Westeners want to preserve for their grandchildren and onwards, only.. for a littlebit of bones and ivory.

Use your own skin and teeth

[MEL1]

Sorry, but the first line got me ...

"We will ask the Thai prime minister and her government to take serious action against tiger poachers as she seemed interested in this subject, and with her leadership, Keshav Varma, director of the World Bank's Global Tiger Initiative, said yesterday."

What are they going to do, send her a letter? She'll be crapping her panties over this one, for sure!

-mel.

[ginjag]

Unfortunately very few Thais give a s**t about wildlife in any form. Odd as the majority are Buddhists.

They seem to care more about scabby soi dogs than their natural heritage.

This is not just Tigers but also Ivory, Sharks etc.

Education and sanctions are needed to end this.

All the P.M. has to do TOMORROW is sack ANYONE that has any slight connections with ANY wildlife poaching -trading-illegal handling-----NOT into inactive posts just JAIL......police M.Ps big business untouchables, the lot.

[kimamey]

Unfortunately very few Thais give a s**t about wildlife in any form. Odd as the majority are Buddhists.

They seem to care more about scabby soi dogs than their natural heritage.

This is not just Tigers but also Ivory, Sharks etc.

Education and sanctions are needed to end this.

From what I've seen they're very flexible Buddhists. I bought a book about Theravada Buddhism so I could find out a bit more on the subject but I gave up when I realised some of it didn't make a lot sense and much of it seemed to have very little in common. to what I saw going on. There was a lot more that made me not want to bother as well but I think one of the biggest problems for me was the idea that Buddhist shouldn't kill, an admirable aspiration and one that seems to be entirely ignored in favour of supporting monks whose teachings seem to fall on deaf ears. That and paying lots of money for numerous temples and spending time with gold, incense sticks and flowers for the supposed benefit of someone who died centuries ago and who if these practices are to be believed was like most others who are worshipped was terribly vain.

[harryfrompattaya]

Whilst this trade disgusts me, what pray tell has it to do with the World Bank? And further why are Tigers not a protected species - viz tigers being poached are outside 'protected areas'? Protect them all and not designate 'areas'. Imbeciles.

This is nothing more than to claim that tiger parts are real. We all known that they are selling fakes

Did you your wife or GF ever see a tiger in Thailand or met anyone who his.

Tiger parts are fake

[jackspratt]

Whilst this trade disgusts me, what pray tell has it to do with the World Bank? And further why are Tigers not a protected species - viz tigers being poached are outside 'protected areas'? Protect them all and not designate 'areas'. Imbeciles.

If it disgusts you so much, instead of ranting, why don't you take 2 minutes to research the actual position.

1. The World Bank funds wildlife conservation in many areas around the world. That's what it has to do with it.

2. Tigers are in Appendix l (most endangered species ie protected) of the international convention governing wildlife trade (CITES).

Imbeciles indeed!

Edited March 11, 2013 by jackspratt

[mok199]

^{_{that has to be the saddest picture i have ever seen....i nver knew they were sold like that as cubs....just when i thnk mankind cant get any lower,i see we have degraded yet another rung in the ladder....poachers are the wild kingdoms ''pedophiles''}}

[geriatrickid]

Whilst this trade disgusts me, what pray tell has it to do with the World Bank? And further why are Tigers not a protected species - viz tigers being poached are outside 'protected areas'? Protect them all and not designate 'areas'. Imbeciles.

The WB funds development projects. These prjojects often negatively impact endangered species' habitats.

The concern shown by the WB is a recognition of the concept of ethical investment, i.e. being socially responsible.

Thailand could learn from India when it comes to protecting its tigers. The Indian government with all of its weaknesses has at least attempted to behave responsibly with an actual policy. Thailand is all talk and no action.

[geriatrickid]

Unfortunately very few Thais give a s**t about wildlife in any form. Odd as the majority are Buddhists.

They seem to care more about scabby soi dogs than their natural heritage.

This is not just Tigers but also Ivory, Sharks etc.

Education and sanctions are needed to end this.

All the P.M. has to do TOMORROW is sack ANYONE that has any slight connections with ANY wildlife poaching -trading-illegal handling-----NOT into inactive posts just JAIL......police M.Ps big business untouchables, the lot.

I do not think the military would approve. 'Nuff said.

[nuananddon]

Just wondering, with all the complaining about why the Thais do this or act like that and allow this and disallow that from a lot of the expats on TV, WHY THE HELL DO YOU STAY HERE! GO HOME WHERE EVERYTHING IS PERFECT and let the Thais be Thais.

[Locationthailand]

Whilst this trade disgusts me, what pray tell has it to do with the World Bank? And further why are Tigers not a protected species - viz tigers being poached are outside 'protected areas'? Protect them all and not designate 'areas'. Imbeciles.

This is nothing more than to claim that tiger parts are real. We all known that they are selling fakes

Did you your wife or GF ever see a tiger in Thailand or met anyone who his.

Tiger parts are fake

Sorry Harry - this is an amazingly ignorant response. I work with tigers in Thailand, film them. I nurse orphans, and feed them and also walk the larger ones, around 200 kgs and yes there are many fake tiger parts, as with Rhino and Elephants tusks, but that still does not stop the killing. There are a lot of tigers here at present but the <deleted> Govt is about to build a dam on their habitat up North. There are not many left and places like the Tiger Temple in Kanchanburi have been accused of salvaging tigers and then selling them, and they are the monks!

[ginjag]

Unfortunately very few Thais give a s**t about wildlife in any form. Odd as the majority are Buddhists.

They seem to care more about scabby soi dogs than their natural heritage.

This is not just Tigers but also Ivory, Sharks etc.

Education and sanctions are needed to end this.

All the P.M. has to do TOMORROW is sack ANYONE that has any slight connections with ANY wildlife poaching -trading-illegal handling-----NOT into inactive posts just JAIL......police M.Ps big business untouchables, the lot.

I do not think the military would approve. 'Nuff said.

Typical (expected answer) instead of saying the right thing, --normally ordinary folk would be thinking, YES it;s the governments job to stop the bleeding lot once and for all. Unless like you who seems to be reluctant to be a critic when needed. be honest -this wants stopping.

[rubl]

With all the 'stamping out' our PM has to do I fear she will soon need to go shopping for some really sturdy shoes or even boots

[bluegum]

Whilst this trade disgusts me, what pray tell has it to do with the World Bank? And further why are Tigers not a protected species - viz tigers being poached are outside 'protected areas'? Protect them all and not designate 'areas'. Imbeciles.

As others mentioned, the World Bank is the lead partner and donor to the Global Tiger Initiative. I would add that it is an organisation of dedicated people doing all it can to help the 13 countries which still have wild tigers to reduce current declines in wild tiger populations. I'm not sure who you are calling imbeciles, but I trust its not directed at Mr. Varma and his colleagues, who are doing a terrific job tackling an enormously complex problem.

Tigers are indeed a protected species - all trade is illegal. But it goes on, with wild tigers being poached from their forest habitats inside national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. The seizures of live tigers and tiger parts mostly occur outside the protected areas. Tigers and parts sourced from other countries are also regularly intercepted.

As I understand it, it is not illegal for someone to own a tiger in Thailand, but you cannot sell its parts, even if it dies of old age. Thai authorities are currently building a database of all captive tigers, using photos of stripe patterns as positive identification.

For what its worth, tigers held in captivity do very little, if anything at all, to promote the wild tiger's cause. The tiger's place is in its natural habitat doing the important ecological task of the top carnivore. Holding them in captivity and allowing them to breed prolifically, as goes on at the temple in Kanchanaburi, is from a scientific viewpoint, utterly senseless.

[khaowong1]

Unfortunately very few Thais give a s**t about wildlife in any form. Odd as the majority are Buddhists.

They seem to care more about scabby soi dogs than their natural heritage.

This is not just Tigers but also Ivory, Sharks etc.

Education and sanctions are needed to end this.

From what I've seen they're very flexible Buddhists. I bought a book about Theravada Buddhism so I could find out a bit more on the subject but I gave up when I realised some of it didn't make a lot sense and much of it seemed to have very little in common. to what I saw going on. There was a lot more that made me not want to bother as well but I think one of the biggest problems for me was the idea that Buddhist shouldn't kill, an admirable aspiration and one that seems to be entirely ignored in favour of supporting monks whose teachings seem to fall on deaf ears. That and paying lots of money for numerous temples and spending time with gold, incense sticks and flowers for the supposed benefit of someone who died centuries ago and who if these practices are to be believed was like most others who are worshipped was terribly vain.

I would concur on most of your statement.. I am a Theravada Buddhist monk.. but born in the USA.. going on 6 years now. It would appear to me that unless you were born in Southeast Asia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, it really is hard to understand. And Thai Buddhists are even harder to understand. Most Thai monks I'm around don't know anymore about their religion than what their abbots teach them. And if their abbots don't know anymore about Buddhism than they were taught by their abbots, you can see the problem.. I study this religion a lot, I mean a lot.. and am always looked on as strange because I want to learn more than my abbot is teaching me. If your talking about the Buddha being vain, your way off base.. He wasn't vain by a long shot. He was totally agains't ceremonies.. There was a monk, now passed away, down near Surit Thani, Buddhasa Bhikkhu, who wouldn't allow Buddha statues in his temple..at the time, most Thai's thought he was cuckoo. Now he's revered by them. He really didn't have a temple per se, except for a small hut he slept in, all the ceremonies was done outdoors under the tree's. He was about as close to a true Buddhist monk as you could get.. of course this isn't what the Thai population really wants, they want big ceremonies with lots of flash.. just thought I would throw my 2 cents worth in..