This is a sort of funny story. As near as I can tell, the police in Thailand have almost

unlimited power to do whatever they want. Now the story is they were turned away

at the front gate with a court order in hand ? Not buying it. Somebody got paid off.

Regarding the missing tigers, somewhere in China right now there is a rich middle

aged Chinese guy boinking his mistress, giving a prayer to Thailand for providing

the tiger parts to him......

>>They made returning with court order after yesterday inspection of the temple failed to get any progress after the temple refused to give cooperation for the combined team.<<Quote

The holy saffron brothers cheating and stealing in the name of Buddha again!!

So many monks in Thailand are a true disgrace to the wows they have taken!!

Let me get this straight - onthe first occasion the inspection team was refused access

They returned with a court order, and were again refused.

Now they are going back with a search warrant.

Does anyone believe this "high-powered" inspection team is ever going to find out the truth?

It will likely need farang supervision to have a chance at finding out the truth. Similar to searches for illegal African ivory: if Thais are left to their own devices, they can't apprehend the bad guys. However, if farang are brought in and put in charge (with Thai assistance), then there's a better chance of bad guys being caught. And even in the best circumstances, the bad guys will probably get informed (by a leak) before inspectors show up. And, in the rare case they get caught, they'll likely get let off with nary a wrist slap, because Thais are not serious about environmental husbandry.

Thai officials apprehending the bad guys ?? Last story I read about Thai customs officials and

smuggled ivory at Suvarnabhumi airport, they were in it up to their necks....

Edited April 3, 201511 yr by EyesWideOpen

Check flights to China ..... there were three tigers sittng in first class enjoying a steak diner just before they became someone elses diner

>>They made returning with court order after yesterday inspection of the temple failed to get any progress after the temple refused to give cooperation for the combined team.<<Quote

The holy saffron brothers cheating and stealing in the name of Buddha again!!

So many monks in Thailand are a true disgrace to the wows they have taken!!

now is your chance , our new PM should take command, move these temple staff outta the way and find out where the tigers are. ehhhh , no need i know where they are alread. ....in china stock pots being rendered to the bone. this story tells the world about thailand monks :-)

The 2 person flamefest is officially OVER. Posts removed. Cease and desist.

Chaos!! - As if there wasn't enough trouble already, the temple is now in a stand off regarding the illegal possession of bears.........

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/tiger-temple-in-chaos

http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/04/03/monks-protest-against-wildlife-officials-rescuing-bears-tiger-temple

"No negotiation was held Thursday night as both sides were still confronting each other at the temple although officials would explain that the standoff could hurt the bears in the cage which might cause them to become exhausted and might die."

sounds as if the temple is putting its own interests before those of the animals?

Edited April 3, 201511 yr by cumgranosalum

These monks make me laugh, they even more corrupt than the government, and have more power it seems, There must be a new teaching to Buddhism these days, because they sure as hell are not that peace loving and truthful any more, they are a bunch of crooks and hide behind their religion, just like the ISIS do.

I am having difficult of finding history of sanctions ever being imposed. Was there ever a member country subjected to sanctions?

My understanding is that CITES is used as a legal framework to arrest those in the trade as the products cross borders.

Also, would these sanctions also cover trade products not listed in the CITES, such as all of these:

"ORCHIDS: (For all of the following Appendix-I species, seedling or tissue cultures obtained in vitro, in solid or liquid media, and transported in sterile containers are not subject to the provisions of the Convention only if the specimens meet the definition of ‘artificially propagated’ agreed by the Conference of the Parties)"

What sanctions does the CITES treaty have authority to invoke?

The unfortunate animals are Drugged up as most people know.

​Close that money spinner down and take all the animals to a sanctuary.

The temple needs to be dealt with according to the proven concerns - drugging although suspected is DEFINITELY NOT proven.

I don't know why people have latched onto this, it is largely a red herring.

the illegal breeding and false claims to be a conservation-orientated establishment are FAR more important. they are if anything an ecological time-bomb.

Allegations of trading in endangered species puts Thailand in breach of the CITES treaty - this is an organisation that can impose severe sanctions upon Thailand. They already are awaiting a report on the IVORY trade in Thailand (due end of March). If they fail to satisfy CXITES, they will very likely incur snactions anyway, and the grip will tighten if they are shown also to be a hub for the trade in Tigers and their parts.....

"Possible sanctions would impact Thailand’s trade in species covered by the convention, including ornamental plants, such as orchids, and reptile leather. Trade suspensions would, for example, prevent exports of orchids, which would result in a loss of more than $80.7 million in annual sales based on the 2013 value of this trade. The economic impact would be significant as the value of just some of Thailand’s CITES-listed export items was estimated at $157 million in 2012." - WWF

Just recently Prayuth has been seen visiting and commenting on the orchid trade and promising a bright future for them....to me this looks as if he is preparing for the worst from CITES in ther next few days and is trying to align himself with the orchid industry.

Most of the stuff on Cites is "pay for" or in Libraries on hard copy.

The basis is a licencing system that Thailand is signed up to. these licences can be withdrawn.

As you point out it is the Orchid industry that is mostly at risk.

My guess is you need to obtain a copy of "Wildlife Trade, Sanctions and Compliance: Lessons from the CITES Regime" - Rosalind Reeve. - 2006