A deeper look at Thailand’s attractive illegal wildlife trade, which is worthwhile US$ 20 billion
PUBLISHED: 12:25 on October 17, 2023.
UPDATED: 12:58 on October 17, 2023.
Anti-wildlife prostitution official Pol Col. Wanpichit Wattanasakmonta said,” We need to have a better balance between humans and nature.”
It’s not just about safeguarding animals, either. To promote sustainability in the world, we would like to motivate people to safeguard their environment and natural resources. After that, we can live happily alongside essence forever.
Aside from noble aspirations, the director of Sub-division 6 in the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division’s daily tasks include pursuing criminals in an illegal sector for US$ 20 billion( 726 billion baht ), which is the fourth-most attractive crime worldwide after drugs, people, and weapons.
a center for animals smuggling
Thailand has long served as a gateway for business, serving as its origin, destination, and transit route. Thailand is home to 10 % of the world’s animal species.
Luckily, the days when the nation was dotted with ranches stocked with lions, bears, and crocodiles and store windows displaying lion and leopard skins are long gone. Chatuchak market now openly sells species from all over the world.
The fresh Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act, which took effect in 2019, increased traffickers’ prison sentences to 20 years and protected non-native types. The Supreme Court sentenced Asian seller Kingpin Boonchai Bach in proceedings to five years in prison in 2022 after he first walked completely.
And on September 19, Malaysian Teo Boon Ching received an 18-month prison term in the US for plotting to transport thousands of dollars’ worth of rhinoceros ears in hundreds of kilograms. The” uncle,” a smuggler, had been extradited from Thailand.
Animals on a ship
However, there is still animals trafficking in the entire country. Chaos broke out after a rat and an otter were discovered wandering about on an Oct. 4 flight from Suvarnabhumi to Taipei. They had managed to get away from the carry-on bag that contained two black large squirrels, 20 Cambodian star tortoises, and the snake and prairie dog.
News reports had a lighthearted voice, but anyone who is concerned about animal cruelty, species extinction, and the possibility of zoonotic diseases believed by the majority of scientists to be the cause of Covid-19 will never find the smuggling scourge interesting.
We have taken both protected and” reserved” animals from smugglers over the past two to three years, according to Pol Col. Wanpichit on the & nbsp, Bangkok Post and / broadcast, podcast, and Deeper Dive. There are many varieties, such as pangolins, wild birds, tiger cub, macaques, and most recently extinct birds. Additionally smuggled are snake and cat pieces.
Pangolins, also known as” scaly anteaters,” were once widely caught in Thailand but are now primarily transported live by ship to Myanmar or overland through Malaysia before crossing the Thai border. They are traded for their meat and scales for use in traditional Chinese medicine. They are therefore swiftly transported into China from the Lao borders.
And some people still believe that it’s hunting these in Thailand. It’s a way of living, really. Pol Col. Wanpichit Wattanasakmonta is the supervisor of the natural resources and economic crime suppression division’s sub-division 6.
Foreign research facilities
The smuggling of monkey monkeys and nbsp is even widespread.
They originate in the northwestern region of Thailand, according to Pol Col. Wanpichit. They are almost undoubtedly going to facilities in China, but even when pressed, the officer stuck to police protocol and avoided mentioning certain nations out of concern that they might offend.
What we can say, he said, is that they are first brought to nearby nations before being smuggled into a second nation for testing purposes.
The animals protection officer was evident that enforcement efforts may not completely eradicate the trade until demand for the product declines, despite the fact that investigators have had some success fighting the criminal gangs that dominate the industry.
” In some nations, news and information about the risks, repercussions, and fines associated with wildlife trafficking are practically nonexistent.” And some people still believe that it is hunting in Thailand. It’s a way of living, really.
For a complete interview with Pol Col Wanpichit Wattanasakmonta on the fourth episode of the brand-new Bangkok Post podcast, Deeper Dive, go to https :// spoti.fi / 3ZQ7fOv. Or look up” Deeker Dive Thailand” wherever you find apps.