Porpot Changyawa
Lack of knowledge and appropriate laws
on wildlife have hindered attempts to curb trade in endangered
species, according to panelists at a seminar on wildlife trade
yesterday.
 |
| Participants at a seminar on
the illegal wildlife trade held at parliament take a close
look at a n alligator in a glass cage, which was part of an
exhibition. - Apichit Jinakul |
Cooperation betweeen government
agencies to end wildlife trading has been insufficient because
officials had limited knowledge of biological data and laws
governing endangered species, said Manit Jaichagun, of the
Department of Agriculture.
``Immediate arrests are almost impossible as we have to explain to
the authorities the concept of wildlife and the laws protecting
them,'' he said.
Mr Manit was one of the panelists from government agencies and
NGOs at the seminar, which was jointly organised by the House
committee on natural resources and environment and five
non-governmental organisations on wildlife protection.
``It is hard to tell which animals or plants _ and the products
made out of them _ belong on the list of endangered species,''
said Pachara Sinsawat, director of the Export Division of the
Customs Office. Phisute Srikajon, chief judge of the Criminal
Court, said that to ensure appropriate punishment for illegal
traders, officials should inform the court of the country's state
of environment and stress the importance of stolen endangered
species to the eco-system.
Mr Phisut said that for a long-term solution, legal amendments
were essential. ``Some of the laws are so outdated it's useless to
put them into effect.''
The NGO panelists agreed current laws governing endangered species
needed urgent change since they had many loopholes and focused too
much on government authority.
``The protected species act, for example, doesn't even recognise
the NGOs, whose work could enhance that of the authorities,'' said
Chisanu Tiyacharoensi of the Wild Animal Rescue Foundation
Thailand.
Wildlife trade was a dangerous threat to endangered species,
second only to deforestation, said Robert Mather, director of the
World Wildlife Fund Thailand (WWF).
Trade in wildlife around the world totalled one trillion baht a
year, according to WWF studies on wildlife.
In Thailand, 80% of wildlife trade occurs in Bangkok. Shops in 23
out of 25 hotels in Bangkok under the study carried products made
from wildlife.
