Activists plan anti-shark fin protest at THAI check-in counters worldwide

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Activists plan anti-shark fin protest at THAI check-in counters worldwide
Suchat Sritama
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- The Oceanic Preservation Society has invited shark advocates to gather at Thai Airways check-in desks at airports worldwide next month to protest against what it calls a cruel shark-fin cargo policy.

The campaign will be launched on August 10 in Bangkok, Singapore, New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, London, Cape Town, Manila, Bali, Sydney and Perth airports. THAI has declined to comment on the matter, though a source in the airline said the national carrier's cargo policy was clear and it prohibited the transport of shark fins in any form.

Recently, THAI offices based in Australia issued a regulation prohibiting passengers on all sectors from carrying shark fin or related products on its flights.

"Thai Airways has decided to embargo the carriage of shark fins on all our flights with immediate effect," the airline said in a statement.

The statement added that this followed a thorough review on the carriage of such products and the airline's decision to pay more attention to endangered species and the environment.

Many airlines have recently set new regulations banning the carriage of shark fin and related products including Philippine Airlines, Air New Zealand, Korean Air, Asiana and Fiji Airways.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Activists-plan-anti-shark-fin-protest-at-THAI-chec-30239798.html

[thenation]2014-07-30[/thenation]

[rhythmworx]

This trade should be banned worldwide IMO.

 

People will still smuggle them and probably no checks at Hong Kong.

 

They don't need checks most of it travels via boat via the cruel mofo's that slice their fins off and throw them back in to the sea to drown or starve to death,

Edited July 29, 2014 by rhythmworx

[David48]

I'm split on this.

 

Shark Fins should go the way of the Ivory trade.

 

A (almost) world wide disgust of the trade.

 

 

But, to focus on the average traveller using Thai Airlines is wrong ... I hope the Airport Security Staff are nimble and nip that protest quickly.

[ChrisY1]

Can't see this getting anywhere out at Suvarnbhumi...certain that the guys with the M16s will be there to greet the protestors.......

Anyway.....stupid to target Thai....and I think I read (maybe I'm wrong) that they've taken it off their 1st class menu....!...But carrying it as freight may be pretty stupid of them......but then again,,they're not too smart at present!!

Edited July 30, 2014 by ChrisY1

[jerrybuice]

Is it that they taste so good or they have some kind of "magical powers" that many Asian people believe in?

[behonset]

about bloody time

I am horrified to see the number of restaurants in china town dishing out this ridiculous broth

[Lindsay Oz]

I must have read this article incorrectly because it states that Thai has banned the transport of shark fins on its planes.  So what is the protest about?

[MK1]

Perhaps activists should focus their attention on the high-profile Chinese restaurants that dish-up this rare delicacy rather than pointlessly target air cargo carriers.  

[smutcakes]

Maybe having a few people hanging around the THAI Airways check in counters might give the pretense of being busy.

 

I am sure TAT will be there checking them off as happy holiday makers. 

[ratcatcher]

Anyone desirous of consuming this awful product need go no further than their local Makro store in Thailand, brought to you by Charoen Pokhpand Group. Frozen shark fin.

[Payboy]

So, no more open jaw tickets? :(

[shaurene]

I used to go to Taiwan couple times each year and the business owner we dealt with took me for dinner at the Hilton in Taipei he ordered sharks fin soup but I said no thank you but he insisted so I tried it first time to be polite it was shit horrible tast had couple spoons and left it he finished it off after his.

They believe it is afridisiac gives them big dick.

Ban it world wide.

[smutcakes]

I would of thought protesting outside places which actively advertise its sale would be more proactive, or at least raise awareness to the people in Bangkok of this trade. 

 

Off the top my head i can think of two in Bangkok with great big signs saying Shark Fin Soup, one on Asok near Ser-mit tower and another on Thonglor.

 

There was a  undercover documentary on recently about the trade, i believe perhaps based in Costa Rica where it had video of the sharks being caught, the fins cut off and then being dumped back into the water alive. The sheer scale of the mountains of fins was a real eye opener, many of the fins traded were said to be those of Great White's. 

 

Outright banning of any of these things never seems to work, so some kind of rigorously enforced quota system may be the best way to limit the damage it is causing, unfortunealty whenever there is money to be made there will always be unscrupulous persons not doing things by the book.

[tomssnak]

Dont you guys follow the news? Thai Cargo banned shark fins already so I recon protest is off ;-)

https://www.facebook.com/SharkGuardianWorldWide/photos/a.204710279607934.51495.130275057051457/687430708002553/?type=1

[csabo]

They sell fins in a shop on the sixth floor of MBK very near the food court which has a vendor named Shark Fin Soup also. I saw quite a few customers but no protestors last time I was there.

[X pat]

While they are at it,why don't they ban the sale in super markets.

[bangkokheat]

the headline should read "anti balah protest" 

[Strangebrew]

I got better Idea time to cut off arms and legs of shark fin fishermen and throw then into the sea problem solved.

[BigBadNIN]

 

Shark finning is truly the worst thing humans can do to the environement and the ocean's eco-system. Sharks are prehistoric animals and were around long before we were.

 

Stop the madness already...

[uty6543]

Foie Gras is another product produced with cruelty that should be banned.

[natway09]

Protesting against Thai is about the least effective place to mount what will be just a stupid annoying inconvenience,

If they really wish to mount a protest there are hundreds of Chinese restaurants & shops stacked with the stuff.

Can't say it tastes awful as it has no taste. Just like chewing on tough cardboard.

 

[BigBadNIN]

Can't say it tastes awful as it has no taste. Just like chewing on tough cardboard.

 

 

That's the part that really makes no sense. They don't even eat the fin, only boil it to make soup. Then it gets tossed in the garbage just like the sharks.

[ratcatcher]

While they are at it,why don't they ban the sale in super markets.

Does Tesco lotus sell shark fin?     No.

Does Big C sell shark fin? No. 

Does Tops, Villa, Foodland sell shark fin? No.

Does Makro sell shark fin? YES!

 

I shop at Makro for various reasons, but in fact the amount of this product they sell is probably quite small in comparison to the vast tonnages sold in China and Taiwan etc. Once again it is the Chinese at the source of this slaughter. They don't even utilize the meat of the sharks that are dead within hours of being tossed back into the sea. 

Blame China.

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[McFarang]

Kind of a wasted protest as Thai Airways is the 24th Airline to Ban Shark Fin Products as of July 15th

 

 

[jinners]

Is it that they taste so good or they have some kind of "magical powers" that many Asian people believe in?

 

I'm told it tastes like a fatty fish soup. But it's the "magical" powers that are of interest. Or the special status this dish somehow represents. Like the bear bile, rhino horn, armadillo scales etc etc etc brain dead global vandals.
 

[jinners]

 

Shark finning is truly the worst thing humans can do to the environement and the ocean's eco-system. Sharks are prehistoric animals and were around long before we were.

 

Stop the madness already...

 

OMG that is truly shocking
 

[12DrinkMore]

I used to go to Taiwan couple times each year and the business owner we dealt with took me for dinner at the Hilton in Taipei he ordered sharks fin soup but I said no thank you but he insisted so I tried it first time to be polite it was shit horrible tast had couple spoons and left it he finished it off after his.

They believe it is afridisiac gives them big dick.

Ban it world wide.

Yep,

 

Thanks to modern chemistry we now have a real working substance that always does the job, is a lot cheaper and asaik environmentally safe.

 

It also tastes like shit, and has no nutritional value.

 

 

[noitom]

The Chinese triads and tong networks in HK , San Francisco, Toronto and New York.

[junk1e]

Is it that they taste so good or they have some kind of "magical powers" that many Asian people believe in?

 

Apparently is totally tasteless. People like the texture, but the soup itself would taste the same with or without sharks fin actually in it. Because it is expensive the Chinese in particular serve it to honoured guests as a way of showing respect.

[jpeg]

Perhaps activists should focus their attention on the high-profile Chinese restaurants that dish-up this rare delicacy rather than pointlessly target air cargo carriers.  

 

Pointless? Which area would receive the highest exposure? a Chinese restaurant or an airport?