Phuket seizes fashion accessories using protected species

[webfact]

Phuket seizes fashion accessories using protected species
By Digital Content



PHUKET, Feb 5 - Phuket authorities on Tuesday detained three suspects and seized more than 300 items made from parts of protected species of sea tortoise and corals.

Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Centre (MCRCC) director Thanet Mannoi said the three suspects are Chaluay Wongmuda, 40, Manas Suebsote, 32, and Mayura Suebsote, 23. They are suspected of selling fashion items made from parts of protected species at an annual temple fair in Chalong sub-district of Phuket’s provincial seat last night.

Police seized 331 items made from tortoise shell and coral. The suspects were charged with violating the Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act. Offenders could face up to four-year jail term or a fine of up to Bt 40,000 or both, if found guilty. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-02-05

[NomadJoe]

Outstanding! I think these are the same guys I saw at the fair. I snapped some photo's which I intended to send to the DMCR but hadn't yet. Here they are.

Ending, (or at least reducing) the amount of illegal coral, fish and shark poaching for souvenirs and jewelry is an important part of protecting what's left of our reefs. Well done!

[eezergood]

WHat are they making? I would be happy to pass on any details, if i see any, of these things if I knew what I was looking for.......

Well done Joe, these people are raping the oceans......

[NomadJoe]

^ Thanks but I had nothing to do with this one.

The laws are that nothing can be taken from the seas around Phuket and used for this purpose. People in Thailand get around this by saying that it came from outside of Phuket. Most species of fish can be caught if used for food though. Turtles, no way. Totally protected. The photo I saw was of an Angel Shark which I have never seen in Thai waters, but there was a lot going on and I couldn't get close with all the people around, nor did I want to when taking photos.

[lee b]

Terrible. I wonder how they would feel if they were taken somewhere and had there bones cut out to make some suveniors. Makes me feel sick to the bone to know just how far ppl will go to make money.

[eezergood]

All this type of thing make me sick - slow loris on bangla etc......

[NomadJoe]

WHat are they making? I would be happy to pass on any details, if i see any, of these things if I knew what I was looking for.......

Well done Joe, these people are raping the oceans......

Send any info, photo's or evidence to me if you want. I will make sure it gets to the right authorities. It's what I do.

[JoeThePoster]

Something's gone wrong here. Usually vendors of these kinds of things are themselves a protected species.

[brianP]

Here is the idea! Get a 3D computer plotter, get synthetic materials with the same hardness and color of turtle, coral etc., and make a bunch of lost investment carvings that can be sold to the vendors to resell and look beautiful and last forever and be more intrinsic than the illegal ones. Someone could make millions.

[eezergood]

WHat are they making? I would be happy to pass on any details, if i see any, of these things if I knew what I was looking for.......

Well done Joe, these people are raping the oceans......

Send any info, photo's or evidence to me if you want. I will make sure it gets to the right authorities. It's what I do.

Will do if i see anything around the monkey island

[reptile91602]

15 years ago my wife and I were sitting on our balcony in ban mai , koh samui watching poachers stealing what was left of the sea urchins along what was left of the dying coral reef. We contacted the authorities but no one really cared. They came out 2 hours later and chased them off then the next day they were all back.

Now the water from Pattya down to samui was terribly polluted 15 years ago. Can't imagine swimming in that crappy ocean these days as little is done to police the oceans here.

[FireMedic]

I was there last night and left around 10 or so. As we were leaving we saw a significant police force entering, but these police were wearing navy blue uniforms. I've never seen them and the gf said we should go because there will be fighting soon. We walked all around and I didn't see anything like this that jumped out at me and I'm usually pretty observant.

[jpeg]

Chalong Temple Fair seems to be Phuket's Chatuchak. Few years back they were all walking round with long black fluffy tails flopping out of their pockets after a fair there. Wonder where the rest of the poor animal went. I did er, point out the error of their ways. They looked genuinely surprised. Education

[sonar6ca]

Anything for a Baht!