Thailand Creates Interagency Wildlife Task Force

[Guest guest]

http://www.wildaid.org/index.asp?CID=8

 

Thailand Creates Interagency Wildlife Task Force

 

One hundred thirty seven high-ranking Thai officials attended a 3-day

interagency seminar in February in preparation for Thailand's role as the leader

in the new ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN). Representatives from

the Royal Thai Police, the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation

Department, the Customs Department, the Department of Fisheries, the Department

of Marine and Coastal Resources and the Department of Agriculture discussed and

exchanged information about problems in operations against illegal wildlife

trade activities at the WildAid/TRAFFIC sponsored event. They also focused on

the importance of interagency cooperation and learned about other such task

forces worldwide.

 

The Thai Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) and the Royal

Thai Police helped organize the event, which was financially supported by United

States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US State Department.

Attendees of this seminar will form ASEAN-WEN's Thai Task Force and will attend

regional level wildlife law enforcement meetings.

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Please note that although this meeting was held there was no solution found

how to operate in the future. Both the Department of National Parks as well

as the Police wants to lead the " task-force " .

 

Currently both agencies are in a battle about the repatriation of over 60

orangutans to Indonesia. The police who are prosecuting a Bangkok Zoo for

illegal possession of dozens of orangutans want the animals send back to

Indonesia as soon as possible, however the DNP wants to keep them in

Thailand and spread them around government and private run zoos for

" education " .

 

Thailand becoming the leader in wildlife enforcement seems not appropriate

to many environmentalists as the government has done nothing at all in the

last years to battle the illegal wildlife crime, Thailand is still a major

player in the illegal trade and a major hub between Burma, Indonesia and

China on the other side. Hopefully a change in government this time will see

a change in attitude.

 

Edwin Wiek

Wildlife Friends of Thailand.

 

 

aapn [] On Behalf Of Le Petit Chien

Wednesday, April 05, 2006 11:55 PM

Undisclosed-Recipient:;

Thailand Creates Interagency Wildlife Task Force

 

http://www.wildaid.org/index.asp?CID=8

 

Thailand Creates Interagency Wildlife Task Force

 

One hundred thirty seven high-ranking Thai officials attended a 3-day

interagency seminar in February in preparation for Thailand's role as the

leader in the new ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN).

Representatives from the Royal Thai Police, the National Parks, Wildlife and

Plant Conservation Department, the Customs Department, the Department of

Fisheries, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources and the Department

of Agriculture discussed and exchanged information about problems in

operations against illegal wildlife trade activities at the WildAid/TRAFFIC

sponsored event. They also focused on the importance of interagency

cooperation and learned about other such task forces worldwide.

 

The Thai Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) and the Royal

Thai Police helped organize the event, which was financially supported by

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US State

Department. Attendees of this seminar will form ASEAN-WEN's Thai Task Force

and will attend regional level wildlife law enforcement meetings.