THAI COPS OPEN THE DOORS ON A BANGKOK BIRD WAREHOUSE
Thai officials maintained their pressure against illegal wildlife dealers at the infamous weekend markets near Chatuchak Park. Instead of waiting for market to open on Saturday, Thai police decided to raid what they suspected to be an illegal depot used by bird dealers on Friday, January 19, 2007.
Their suspicions were borne out as they found more than 200 protected birds locked up and awaiting sale in two shop-houses. The houses were tucked away at the back of weekend market and only reachable by after a winding trek through the market’s narrow back alleys. Unfortunately, those alleys provided an escape for the bird dealers and no suspects were caught in the raid.
The confiscated birds include Black-crested Bulbuls, Starlings, White-rumped Shamas, Oriental Scops-owls, Asian Fairy Bluebirds and Red-billed Blue Magpies. All of these species are protected under Thai law. They will be transferred into the care of a government-run wildlife sanctuary near Bangkok.
This latest raid is one of many recent anti-wildlife crime actions conducted by Thai authorities over the past year. Thai Police have joined the environmental officials and Customs to form a joint wildlife crime task force under the new ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN). The initial goal of their joint campaign is to reduce illegal trade at Chatuchak Market in Bangkok.
The conservation group WildAid (Peuan Pa) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority have also joined these national agencies to sponsor an awareness campaign encouraging dealers and buyers to refrain from illegal wildlife transactions. Signs and posters with the slogan “Sold Out,” have been placed around the city, warning people to stop buying illegal wildlife before it disappears permanently.
Source: WildAid Foundation (Thailand)
release dated January 19, 2007
Contact information:
PeunPa
Web site: www.peunpa.org
E-mail: info@peunpa.org |
All images © WildAid Foundation (Thailand)
