WILDLIFE FUND THAILAND / PRESIDENT URGED TO QUIT

May 24, 2007

Activist network threatens boycott

APINYA WIPATAYOTIN

A network of environmental conservation groups yesterday threatened to

boycott Wildlife Fund Thailand (WFT) unless its president Pisit na

Phattalung steps down amid high-profile rifts in the organisation.

Previously, Mr Pisit issued a lightning order to remove Surapol Duangkhae,

WFT secretary-general, and Hannarong Yaowaloes, his deputy, to inactive

posts. He also faced strong criticism for running a restaurant which offers

wild animal meat.

Sasin Chelermlarp, deputy secretary-general of the Sueb Nakhasathien

Foundation, said the network, comprising 10 environmental groups, found it

difficult to work with WFT if Mr Pisit, whom he alleged is not able to clear

the conflict of interest problem, is still the president.

''We are working to protect and preserve the environment and wildlife. How

can we provide cooperation for the WFT president who has a wildlife trade

business?'' he asked.

The network, led by the Sueb Nakhasathien Foundation, yesterday handed over

an open letter to the WFT board.

In the letter, the network raised questions over Mr Pisit's Peuan Deratchan

restaurant as well as his role as adviser to Siam Ocean World at Siam

Paragon and as a partner of Asian Wildlife Consultancy, a company which

exported eight elephants to Australia.

The network said while it understood the transfer of the two

environmentalists was WFT's internal affair, the move put the organisation

in a negative light for Mr Surapol and Mr Hannarong are well-respected

environmentalists.

''It is agreed that Mr Pisit has no right to be the president of WFT because

he is going to tarnish the organisation's image,'' the letter read.

Soraida Salwala, secretary-general of Friends of the Asian Elephant, said

the network would ask the Interior Ministry to investigate the case if the

WFT's board failed to step in.

Mr Pisit previously defended his decision to remove Mr Surapol, saying it

was due to his failure to improve the organisation's financial status.

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