Protected Wild Animals Seized At Chon Buri Snake Farm

[webfact]

Protected wild animals seized at Chon Buri snake farm
By English News



CHON BURI, April 25 - Local authorities seized an undisclosed number of protected wild snakes today at a snake farm in Sattahip district after local residents reported to authorities that tourists from abroad came to consume the reptiles and their byproducts.

Four pythons and Burmese Pythons were also confiscated there, which were to be sent later to a wildlife rescue centre by the authorities, as the farm caretakers were unable to produce legal documents allowing them to possess the protected animals.

Apart from different types of pythons, Sattahip Chief District Officer Pawat Lertmukda said more than a hundred cobras were also on the farm, and a group of about 20 Asian tourists was drinking alcoholic drinks mixed with snake gall. Frozen snake meat was stored in refrigerators, as well as pickled snake meat and pickled snake eggs.

However, no specific legal action could be taken against them as the activity did not violate Thailand's Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act.

Possession of wild restricted animals without an official licence from the authorities is prohibited by law, and an offender can face a maximum penalty of four years in jail or a fine of 40,000 baht or both. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-04-25

[sjjmmi]

Every thing in Thailand is for sale

[JetsetBkk]

local residents reported to authorities that tourists from abroad came to consume the reptiles

From which countries, I wonder.

[LuckyLew]

Something is missing here

"farm caretakers were unable to produce legal documents allowing them to possess the protected animals"

"no specific legal action could be taken against them as the activity did not violate Thailand's Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act."

"Possession of wild restricted animals without an official licence from the authorities is prohibited by law, and an offender can face a maximum penalty of four years in jail or a fine of 40,000 baht or both"

If you do not have the correct documents are you not eligible to face jail and or fine?

If not ... why were the animal seized?

[Robby nz]

However, no specific legal action could be taken against them as the activity did not violate Thailand's Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act.

Possession of wild restricted animals without an official licence from the authorities is prohibited by law, and an offender can face a maximum penalty of four years in jail or a fine of 40,000 baht or both.

These two last statements in this report cant possibly add up.

Or did the park have a license to possess.

And there is no law against killing and eating the wild animals that are in the possession of a licensed farm, zoo or game reserve.

If this is the case there would be nothing to stop a zoo having a tiger or elephant BBQ.

No doubt a great attraction for the tourists from some countries.

[ginjag]

<deleted>, how the bleeding heck can a poster post a reply if it will not define if legal or not ??? one statement contradicts the other.

you are allowed to have a farm to eat the species ???

you are allowed to have a farm but not some species ???

Amazing Thailand for love of animals etc.

Taken away to Where ?? another legal farm this time---confused--unless I read it wrong

[Locationthailand]

More bureaucratic garbage and unwillingness of police to make arrests. No doubt some payoffs were involved to make it (them) go away.

[market trader]

Foreign tourists from abroad came to consume the reptiles and their by-products. Abroad to me is Europe or North America and its not likely that tourists from there are here to consume reptiles. I think authorities should look closer to home. Maybe China or Viet Nam.

[moe666]

Something is missing here

"farm caretakers were unable to produce legal documents allowing them to possess the protected animals"

"no specific legal action could be taken against them as the activity did not violate Thailand's Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act."

"Possession of wild restricted animals without an official licence from the authorities is prohibited by law, and an offender can face a maximum penalty of four years in jail or a fine of 40,000 baht or both"

If you do not have the correct documents are you not eligible to face jail and or fine?

If not ... why were the animal seized?

I think they could not arrest the tourist for consuming the snake gall.

[moe666]

Foreign tourists from abroad came to consume the reptiles and their by-products. Abroad to me is Europe or North America and its not likely that tourists from there are here to consume reptiles. I think authorities should look closer to home. Maybe China or Viet Nam.

Why do they have to look for them actually caught consuming parts of a snake

[assayer]

"and a group of about 20 Asian tourists was drinking alcoholic drinks mixed with snake gall"

OOOOPS: Sorry it specifies "abroad"

[kimamey]

Foreign tourists from abroad came to consume the reptiles and their by-products. Abroad to me is Europe or North America and its not likely that tourists from there are here to consume reptiles. I think authorities should look closer to home. Maybe China or Viet Nam.

I think you need to look up the definition of 'abroad'. It does say the tourists present at the time were Asian who would be from abroad if they weren't from Thailand. The could even be Thai but from a different country.

[cup-O-coffee]

Something is missing here

"farm caretakers were unable to produce legal documents allowing them to possess the protected animals"

"no specific legal action could be taken against them as the activity did not violate Thailand's Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act."

"Possession of wild restricted animals without an official licence from the authorities is prohibited by law, and an offender can face a maximum penalty of four years in jail or a fine of 40,000 baht or both"

If you do not have the correct documents are you not eligible to face jail and or fine?

If not ... why were the animal seized?

Because these officers did not get served enough snake gall and angrily returned a few minutes later to carry out the bust and seizure.

I am certain that next week they will get more than a fair share of snake gall once the seized snakes get mysteriously re-routed back to the farm.

Throughout it all, no one in this galaxy will give one hoot about all of this tripe, except the slighted officials who did not get enough snake gall and the owner of the drinkery.

Edited April 26, 2013 by cup-O-coffee

[kimamey]

Something is missing here

"farm caretakers were unable to produce legal documents allowing them to possess the protected animals"

"no specific legal action could be taken against them as the activity did not violate Thailand's Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act."

"Possession of wild restricted animals without an official licence from the authorities is prohibited by law, and an offender can face a maximum penalty of four years in jail or a fine of 40,000 baht or both"

If you do not have the correct documents are you not eligible to face jail and or fine?

If not ... why were the animal seized?

I'm assuming that the tourists haven't done anything illegal but the farm caretakers have.

[jaiyen]

Is this the start of Chinese people coming to Thailand to get their animal parts instead of having to buy them in their own country at a far greater price ? TAT is encouraging Chinese tourists to come to Thailand. Maybe they will put this farm in the brochures. Maybe another restaurant along the lines of the Night Safari selling snakes, lizards, bear, tiger etc. Its time for the animal conservationists to be aware.

[Cardiff1963]

Foreign tourists from abroad came to consume the reptiles and their by-products. Abroad to me is Europe or North America and its not likely that tourists from there are here to consume reptiles. I think authorities should look closer to home. Maybe China or Viet Nam.

Abroad means abroad

[RisqEM]

The two python species in Thailand, the Reticulated python and Burmese python are both not endangered. I highly doubt there protected as I've seen Thai's kill them first, ask questions later. These two snake species are prevalent in snake collections around the world and more than readily captive bred.

As far as the cobras, they might be the protected or endangered species they are referring to. Thailand, especially the north east and south, have some incredibly beautiful and rare cobras. It's stupid how Asians just consume or kill everything, without regard to conservation for future consumption or preservation, whichever is more important.

[Joe Mamma]

Something has a lot of Chinese GALL! From black bear to gecko tongue some of them are sure crackpots.

[Jonathanukthai]

The two python species in Thailand, the Reticulated python and Burmese python are both not endangered. I highly doubt there protected as I've seen Thai's kill them first, ask questions later. These two snake species are prevalent in snake collections around the world and more than readily captive bred.

As far as the cobras, they might be the protected or endangered species they are referring to. Thailand, especially the north east and south, have some incredibly beautiful and rare cobras. It's stupid how Asians just consume or kill everything, without regard to conservation for future consumption or preservation, whichever is more important.

Python Reticulatus and Python Bivittatus you forgot Python Curtus are all CITES apex ll and listed on the red list as VU they are all protected localy as well, cobras are protected in the same classification. There are no real rare cobras here in Thailand and all are readily available captive bred, Naja Kouthia is one of the most found snakes in Thailand. There are however some very nice natural colour variations of Naja kaouthia.