Thailand Must Stop Ivory Trade Or Face Severe Sanctions: C I T E S

[webfact]

Thailand must stop ivory trade or face severe sanctions: CITES

BANGKOK, 11 March 2013 (NNT) - A senior CITES official has warned that Thailand, and other countries of what he calls the "Gang of Eight", must stop ivory trade, or face severe sanctions.

Senior CITES official Tom de Meulenaer said that CITES' ruling committee has "lost patience" over the issue of ivory trade.

He said that unless the "Gang of Eight" countries stop ivory trade within a year, they will be banned from all wildlife trades, including the lucrative orchid and crocodile skin trade, which are a significant source of revenue for Thailand.

According to the CITES official, the "Gang of Eight" countries comprise Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, China, and Thailand.

Tom Milliken, head of the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS), said at the CITES summit in Bangkok that his organisation has found that, for over a decade, the eight countries have been major players in ivory trade.

At the start of the CITES meeting, Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra pledged to end ivory trading.

But CITES' chief of enforcement voiced his skepticism, saying that even if Thailand really meant to do it, it would be a "very long process".


-- NNT 2013-03-11

[webfact]

CITES delegates threaten Thailand with sanctions over ivory
By Coconuts Bangkok


Ivory trinkets for sale in Thailand. Photo: WWF

BANGKOK: -- Delegates at the 16th Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) conference have threatened to hit Thailand with significant trade sanctions unless it ends its ivory trade within the coming year.

The CITES delegates singled out Thailand along with Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and China as countries integral to the trafficking and consumption of illegal ivory.

Saying that the delegation had “lost patience” with Thailand, CITES official Tom de Meulenaer named 2014 as the year in which sanctions could take effect. The proposed sanctions would outlaw all wildlife traffic with Thailand, including the country’s profitable trades in orchids and crocodile skins.

Full story: http://www.coconutsbangkok.com/news/cites-delegates-threaten-thailand-with-sanctions-over-ivory/


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-11

[reiltin]

"sanctions could take effect. The proposed sanctions would outlaw all wildlife traffic with Thailand, including the country’s profitable trades in orchids and crocodile skins."

Hit em where it hurts.

[tomyummer]

The summit held in Bangkok nonetheless. What a smack in the face. It's not like Thailand will change anything. In one ear, out the other. But what great company they're with. Gang of 8!

[nevets]

Yep the only way to deal with them hit em in the pocket.

[Fozfromoz]

A lot of pledging and vowing being tossed around lately. Lip service?

Perhaps an installation of a motion detector would be in order.

I think the CITES enforcer has every right to be skeptical

Edited March 11, 2013 by Fozfromoz

[Thai at Heart]

Well, if they get banned from Shipping orchids, that will get their attention

[bigbamboo]

Thailand has had ten years to clean up it's act and not even tried. The Thai politicians simply cannot be trusted and so sanctions are the only way to go with financial penalties and the loss of face.

For a nation which has the nerve to say the elephant is it's much loved symbol their attitude is downright embarrassing.

[MaxLee]

After Yingluck vowed to do something about the ivory trade and endangered wildlife problem:

"Oops, dear officials of CITES, I was too busy going abroad to Sweden and Belgium for 'diplomatic talks' and 'peomoting investments to Thailand, and afterwards do some Cosmopotalian Shopping, ... oh btw didn't my interior nature ministries take care of the situation?"

And in the mean time the rich brigade in Thailand continue to enjoy their delicious shark fin soup...

Edited March 11, 2013 by MaxLee

[nakhonandy]

If the threat of sanctions is real then they will have to do something.

As others pointed out it will hit them where it hurts the pocket.

They should have hammered them about the sharks/manta rays also. That is a far more serious problem.

[Katipo]

I suspect if you eliminated China from the trade, the others would all fall like dominoes too.

[nakhonandy]

I suspect if you eliminated China from the trade, the others would all fall like dominoes too.

True, that is for sure the main market. For all animal products actually.

[easybullet3]

What's the difference between an Elephants tusk and Crocodile skin ???

- Why is one ok? and the other is not?

they are both animals. so why is one looked down upon, while the other is freely allowed ??

mixed-up, topsy-turvy world we live in !!

Just because elephants are LARGE. (no body even cares about the 100 million chickens that are killed EVERY DAY globally _{**see below**})

a life is a life, (no matter if it is small or big).

- it seems that we (humans) judge a life as more important if it is more big or more majestic. The smaller it is, the less care we have for it.

That's a shame.

_** (statistics on global chicken slaughter) : http://www.animalethics.org.uk/i-ch7-2-chickens.html

Edited March 11, 2013 by easybullet3

[Jim walker]

Thais will never stop doing anything if it costs them
money they are far too greedy to think about anything other than money.

[tragickingdom]

Good to hear, money is the only thing that talks in all of the mentioned countries. But a total consumer boycott helps the best starting with China who holds all wildlife in total disregard

[justathought]

there is a shop run by 'Chinese Thai' people in chattuchuk. I told the lady that this was illegal business. She told me to get lost by rude hand gestures

So you have it. This ivory trade in Thailand will not stop because Thailand is run by 'Chinese Thai'

[ChrisY1]

Maybe yesterdays' article about an interview with an ivory trader that mentioned that if the trade is stopped, it will simply go underground, spurned this criticism from CITES.....if so, then good on the press.......(the author may need to watch his back now:))

[Thai at Heart]

there is a shop run by 'Chinese Thai' people in chattuchuk. I told the lady that this was illegal business. She told me to get lost by rude hand gestures

So you have it. This ivory trade in Thailand will not stop because Thailand is run by 'Chinese Thai'

As I said, if they can't export orchids, that is going to piss on a very big Thai Chinese, not to mention, ptp affiliated shoes

[laobali]

Well, if they get banned from Shipping orchids, that will get their attention

Maybe not. The vast majority of Thailand's orchid exports are cut flowers, not subject to CITES control, and most go to China anyway!

[Thai at Heart]

Well, if they get banned from Shipping orchids, that will get their attention

Maybe not. The vast majority of Thailand's orchid exports are cut flowers, not subject to CITES control, and most go to China anyway!

It didn't say cut flowers in the article. I don't know if that counts. Boat loads go to Japan and Europe from here. I know the biggest producers in the country, and they are way up the ptp did chain.

[ginjag]

This is the best news I have heard in a long time, please impose--this will have to involve POLICE and there is a major problem-plus any big wigs. This should not be hard to do normally, but here where everyone starts passing the buck, or fleeing the scene when the going gets tough, that makes it difficult. If we had transparency here pull the plug, BUT WE havent. GREED AGAIN.

[chainarong]

Bit long in the tooth in coming but better late than never, a few more sanctions in other area's might see these political delinquents start to realise that not everyone loves Thailand or the way they do business.

[malcyx]

Hmmmm only 6 from 8.. what about africa and india ...

2 of the biggest suppliers..

Chances are the trade will never stop, wouldnt be natural for man to stop when there

is big bucks to be made no matter what sanctions or barriers that are put infront of them..

The value will always increase because of demand...

i dont have a problem with the trade of ivory its just the killing of the animals that

gets me pissed.. no need to kill them and hack bits off here n there...

If it could be controlled , drugging the animals then removing sum of the ivory, then releasing the animal

this would be perfect...

But this is man we are talking about n he far from perfect...so it will be neverending ...or until extinction of man or animal...

Threat of Orchids in these sanctions is gonna make alot of people,companies very angry...

I dont know the stats on income to people,government,companies, but must be quite alot of Baht..and jobs...

I really think including orchids is a big mistake, enough fightiing amongst various groups of people in thailand

without angering farmers n legitimate traders ....Keep the peace..

someone mentioned why not do same for crocodiles.. crocodiles are bread in farms, eaten,skin sold,other parts sold

just like farming cows or sheep... so no need to stop..

thanks for reading .. just my thoughts ..

keep smiling

Edited March 11, 2013 by malcyx

[Westaurel]

saying that even if Thailand really meant to do it, it would be a "very long process".

Sure because the promises of Yingluck will change nothing the way of thinking and acting of the people who think more to enrich themselves instead of protect nature and animals!

[dcutman]

I dont expect to hear much more on this for the next 11 months. Then the big panic will begin, with a lot of finger pointing.

[xavierr]

I am not optimistic. The more sanctions, more the prices go up and the more someone wants to buy the stuff.

Just look at the phayung logs. China seems to have an enormous appetite for parts of endangered animals and rare woods.

Pangolin scales, rhino horns, tiger claws and the like. Unless the Chinese stop craving for such items this will end with deforestation and the extinction of species.

Edited March 11, 2013 by xavierr

[Bluespunk]

What's the difference between an Elephants tusk and Crocodile skin ???

- Why is one ok? and the other is not?

they are both animals. so why is one looked down upon, while the other is freely allowed ??

mixed-up, topsy-turvy world we live in !!

Just because elephants are LARGE. (no body even cares about the 100 million chickens that are killed EVERY DAY globally _{**see below**})

a life is a life, (no matter if it is small or big).

- it seems that we (humans) judge a life as more important if it is more big or more majestic. The smaller it is, the less care we have for it.

That's a shame.

_** (statistics on global chicken slaughter) : http://www.animalethics.org.uk/i-ch7-2-chickens.html

While on a personal level I agree with you 100 percent I think that cites differentiates between "farmed" crocs and those endangered species in the wild. I could be wrong but didn't the Thai delegation try to have the ban on the trading of the Siam crocodile (Or some local species of croc) lifted. Thankfully they failed.

Now whether factory farming is right or wrong is another argument.

[Locationthailand]

I'm all for the sanctions but how will these be implemented? To me this is just idle threats.

[RisqEM]

"sanctions could take effect. The proposed sanctions would outlaw all wildlife traffic with Thailand, including the country’s profitable trades in orchids and crocodile skins."

Hit em where it hurts.

Agreed. It's the only way they'll listen

[rubl]

A bit over the top, methings. Our PM has promised a week or two ago to look into the matter and do something or another. Doesn't the CITES know she's been busy with other things as well? Tiger cubs, mantas, crocodiles, polar bears, sharks. That takes time. Did you see the menagerie in her cabinet

Edited March 11, 2013 by rubl