Thai ivory ban needed to save elephants “Existing laws are not
effective at keeping illegal African ivory out of the Thai
market. The only way to prevent Thailand from contributing to
elephant poaching is to ban all ivory sales,” said Janpai
Ongsiriwittaya, campaign leader in WWF-Thailand. “Today the
biggest victims are African elephants, but Thailand’s elephants
could be next. Ms Shinawatra can help put an end to the killing,
and I believe Thai citizens will support greater protection for
these iconic animals.” Poaching is at record levels in Africa
with tens of thousands of elephants being slaughtered each year
for their ivory tusks. Trade data released last month shows that
international ivory trafficking has reached its highest ever
recorded rate. Thailand is the biggest unregulated ivory market
in the world and a top driver of poaching and illegal trade.
“Thailand’s legal allowance of trade in ivory tusks from
domesticated Asian elephants is exploited to market African
elephant ivory as worked products t