(Photo: BangkokBizNews)
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has invoked Section 44 of the interim charter to prevent the smuggling of wild elephants and unlawfully turning them into domesticated elephants.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Johannesburg is urgently taking measures, especially towards prevention and suppression of domesticating wild elephants, according to the national ivory action plans. As a member, Thailand could face trade sanctions under CITES if it takes no measures.
Under the order, owners of registered domesticated elephants with identification certificates, or unregistered ones must submit a DNA sample collection of their elephants and obtain DNA and identification certification documents. All of these processes must be finished within 360 days.
In addition, if owners fail to have their elephants undergoing DNA sample collection within 180 days after the date of the order issuance or their DNA tests are proved to be not a domesticated elephant, they will be seized. The owner is then required to hand it over to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plants Conservation within 30 days.
Article: “งัดม.44 สั่ง8ข้อ ป้องกันนําช้างป่ามาสวมสิทธิเป็นช้างบ้าน” from BangkokBizNews on September 28, 2016
Summarized and translated by: Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Thailand Program