Wildlife Smuggling in Thailand: A Matter of Convenience
By William M. Reyland

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1 September 2011

I once had the opportunity to visit one of the many elephant trekking operations Thailand is known for, and I must admit it was a regrettable experience. While the appearance of the animals suggested some level of care, the sight of lethargic baby elephants chained up in muddy, unnatural conditions was a little sickening. According to Uproar,⁸ a Thailand non profit dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty, tourists that take part in elephant trekking and other wildlife operations are unknowingly contributing to the continued mistreatment of the animals.

          “Many vis­i­tors to Thai­land go on ele­phant treks, un­aware of the great cru­el­ty in­volved be­hind the scenes. Ele­phants in the Thai trekk­ing in­dus­try are typ­i­cal­ly ‘bro­ken’ us­ing the prac­tice of phaa jaan, which in­volves chain­ing the young ele­phant so that they are un­able to move, and then lit­er­al­ly beat­ing and jab­bing them with nail end­ed spears over a pe­ri­od of days un­til their spir­it is com­plete­ly bro­ken.”⁹

The ever popular Tiger Temple in Kancahanburi (Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yannasampanno) is another unique example of the profitability of exotic ‘tourist’ animals. Depending on the size of the donation (upwards of 4,000 Baht), visitors to the Tiger Temple can experience different levels of interaction with the tigers. These range from having a photograph taken, to close physical contact. Despite the popularity and the great success of the temple, there have been numerous complaints concerning the care and treatment of the animals, “from international wildlife organizations, previous staff members, tourists and government departments”.¹⁰

The Tiger Temple claims to be preserving and contributing to the tiger populations, however, many believe that the breeding at the temple has produced a hybrid species of tiger that is unfit to be released into the wild. According to a report by the U.K. based conservation group, Care for the Wild International, the Tiger Temple “fails to preserve dwindling tigers as advertised and the monastery has been trading the animals illegally with a tiger farm in neighboring Laos”.¹¹

           "There is consensus amongst conservationists that releasing captive-bred tigers is almost never a viable option because of shortage of natural habitat and, in the case of animals that are used to human proximity, such as the tigers at the temple, release is potentially fatal to tigers, humans and livestock”.¹²

The Tiger Temple denies all allegations of abuse and mishandling of their tigers and in 2010, filed defamation charges against Edwin Wiek, founder and director of Wildlife Friends of Thailand, Sawan Sangbunlang of the Thai Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and Dr. Surapon Duangkae of the Wildlife Fund of Thailand (which was under Royal Patronage and closed in July 2009). If convicted, all three defendants could receive a jail sentence.¹³ Abbot of the Tiger Temple, Phra Acharn Phusit says that despite what the experts believe, he will continue to work towards his mission to find suitable land to release the future generations of tigers back into the wild.¹⁴

A Non Renewable Resource

Non governmental organizations, such as the Freeland Foundation and the World Wildlife Federation (WWF), agree that one necessary weapon in the fight against animal trafficking is through education and increased public awareness. In 2009, Freeland initiated the “Wildlife Trafficking Stops Here” campaign in concert with Thai government agencies.¹⁵ The campaign utilizes visual features through 450 on-screen ads which are broadcast at the airline counters of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport. In addition to their campaigns in Thailand, the WWF and the wildlife trade monitoring network Traffic¹⁶ focus resources on encouraging responsible tourism and conservation through international billboards and video productions.

While international support is critically important, the ultimate goal to end this destructive and nefarious trade can only be truly successful when a suitable domestic policy is able to garner the emotional support and awareness of the Thai public. One way or the other, the trafficking of endangered species will certainly end, either through conservation and education, or when the last profitable species has been sold, packed and shipped into extinction.

Related Documents:

Illegal Wildlife Trafficking in Asia: Thailand as a Hub?

Wildlife Activists in Trouble with Tiger Temple

Thailand National Park Act

Thailand Forest Law

Index Page

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11. Care for the Wild International, “Once in a Lifetime for You, a Lifetime of Hell for Them,” Retrieved August 12, from: http://www.careforthewild.com/default.asp?

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