Catching birds to let them go - may lead to two years in jail...or more!

[webfact]

Catching birds to let them go - may lead to two years in jail...or more!

 

Source: Daily News

 

BANGKOK: -- The Thai habit of catching birds only to release them for merit making may land people in jail, says a Thai animal protection group.

 

Catching the creatures could be considered cruelty to animals and result in a two year term. While those who catch endangered species could face even longer - four years in prison.

 

Theerapong Pangsriwong, president of the Thai Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TSPCA) was speaking to reporters after a conference at the weekend about the welfare of animals in the modern era.

 

Theerapong said much work had been done over the last 23 years of his organization with animal laws enacted in 2015 that have proved to have some clout with prosecutions resulting.

 

But applying the law was one thing and human behavior was another. He cited the Thai tradition of releasing birds as one area where the people could improve their behavior.

 

The conference discussed the issue under the banner "Merit or Sin" and it was decided that the habit fell into the sin category.

 

The TSPCA has warned that the methods of capture employed by those in the business of making money from birds in this way could be punishable by 2 years in prison or a fine of 40,000 baht or both.

 

And if endangered or protected species were caught for release this could lead to a prison term of 4 years or 40,000 baht fines or both.

 

No suggestion was made that the public be jailed or fined for engaging in the practice though the message from the conference was clear to those thinking of making merit by paying to release birds:

 

It is a sin and don't do it!

 

Source: Daily News

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-06-08

[berybert]

Long time only now then.

[NCC1701A]

i feel sorry for all the birds locked up at the Wat here in Hua Hin.

 

i told my ex girlfriend you are releasing a bird to make merit that was captured so you could release it to make merit. so where is the good in that? so why do it?

 

but besides from this lapse of logic she is a wonderful person.

[uptheos]

Any taste of freedom is better than none.

[Thailand]

Section 44 should do the trick.

[rkidlad]

Good. This practice is just plain cruel. 

 

Releasing captured birds to secure a better next life is like pretending to help someone in order to receive a reward. It's corrupt and dishonest. 

 

"Be nice to others for no other reason than being nice" (an atheist)

[JimmyJ]

What is "make merit"?

 

I gather from the post above this it is a religious based practice.

Edited June 7, 2017 by JimmyJ

[tracker1]

And the turtles and eels ? apparently they haven't see that yet !

[tracker1]

3 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

What is "make merit"?

 

I gather from the post above this it is a religious based practice.

Yes

[JimmyJ]

3 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

What is "make merit"?

 

I gather from the post above this it is a religious based practice.

IGNORE.

I found it online - Buddhist practice.

[canopy]

I recall when the recent animal cruelty law was enacted it exempted animal cruelty for religious purposes. So it is puzzling they are saying there can be punishment for this. Not just birds, but releasing turtles, fish, anything is cruel to the animal and most people are not aware of this as they are taught they are doing something good.

 

[seahorse]

Free the chickens!

[ezzra]

I be happy if all the cruelty inflected on animals in this country will be

at catching birds and letting them go... there're much more worse cases

of animals abuse and torture that this one....

[YetAnother]

making merit ? how does this make merit ? (considering the whole practice)

[realenglish1]

Its actually a false Merit Since you have to catch the bird then let it go

Go and find birds that have been in cages all their lives and let them go that is an honest merit 

[tonray]

I guess the frogs skinned alive while being prepped for buyers are still OK ?

Edited June 8, 2017 by tonray

[steven100]

5 minutes ago, tonray said:

I guess the frogs skinned alive while being prepped for buyers are still OK ?

yuk   !!  

[tonray]

Just now, steven100 said:

yuk   !!  

It's something you never want to see more than once....old ladies can be brutal.

[fruitman]

Yup it's very cruel to put small birds in cages...but it's no ploblem to keep roosters in cages for the only reason to let them kill another rooster and bet on it.

 

[mark01]

Forget the birds for now. What about the Tigers?

 

 

[mikebell]

Meanwhile, the penalty for killing a disabled man is what if your dad's a cop?

[impulse]

6 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

catching and stressing animals to make merit is pointless and stupid. raising animals for consumption has a point. cant really compare the two activities. you would think thais could understand that the birds were free to start with and it is better not to catch and strees them in the first place. 

 

Stupid, yes.  But not pointless if you can make a buck doing it.

 

Classic case of supply and demand.  As long as there is demand, some people will eke out even a meager living by providing the supply.  

 

Got to work on both ends of the chain to get rid of the despicable practice.

 

[chrisinth]

30 minutes ago, mark01 said:

Forget the birds for now. What about the Tigers?

 

 

You're right. They have to be strictly controlled.

 

Last time I let one of those go for merit, it nearly got me.

 

 

[chrisinth]

Yes it is wrong, capture and release. But as with most of these articles they seem to be written as if the birds possess the same thought process as we do.

 

By the time a bird is released, it has no memory of how and why it was caught in the first place.

 

Rough but true.

[worgeordie]

Catching birds,picking mushrooms,can get you years in jail,

murder, if you are rich and influential, not so much,if anything.

 

regards worgeordie

[nausea]

47 minutes ago, canopy said:

I recall when the recent animal cruelty law was enacted it exempted animal cruelty for religious purposes.

 

Interesting, maybe aimed at Halal slaughter.

 

Merit making is low on my list of animal cruelty priorities. What I find obscene is the cruelty involved in dog slaughter; but that's not a Thai thing.

 

[AhFarangJa]

I remember many years ago ........( funny comments on a postcard please..... )............I was in Hong Kong, and this practice was widespread. However, the young lady I was with at the time told me the birds were actually domesticated, and flew back to their house, aviary, or suchlike......Not sure if that was correct or not, but just an observation....

[klauskunkel]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Catching birds to let them go - may lead to two years in jail...or more!

and catching criminals and letting them go may lead to an inactive post... or nothing at all

[Emster23]

Catch & release to make merit is like beating your wife, then expecting eternal devotion then stopping for awhile to catch your breath. Oh wait, hmm.... never mind, just appreciate the diversity

BTW if you kill the snakes, you'll have more rats....

Edited June 8, 2017 by Emster23

[chrisinth]

22 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

I remember many years ago ........( funny comments on a postcard please..... )............I was in Hong Kong, and this practice was widespread. However, the young lady I was with at the time told me the birds were actually domesticated, and flew back to their house, aviary, or suchlike......Not sure if that was correct or not, but just an observation....

I have also been told that as well. The version I was told was that the captured birds were lightly addicted to whatever medication was being put in their food. Don't know how true that is, but it would make sense so as not having to go out and capture more and more of them.

 

I think that was also in HK.