Skip to content
  • Our Work
    • Our Work
    • Climate
    • Forests
    • Freshwater
    • Oceans
    • Wildlife
    • Sustainable Finance
    • Sustainable Business
  • About Us
    • About us
    • Chairman & CEO’s Note
    • Board of Directors
    • Senior Management
    • Whistleblowing Policy
    • Volunteering
    • Careers
  • Resources
    • Resources
    • Annual reports
    • News & Events
    • Blog
  • Partnerships
    • Partnerships
    • Corporate Partnerships
Menu
  • Our Work
    • Our Work
    • Climate
    • Forests
    • Freshwater
    • Oceans
    • Wildlife
    • Sustainable Finance
    • Sustainable Business
  • About Us
    • About us
    • Chairman & CEO’s Note
    • Board of Directors
    • Senior Management
    • Whistleblowing Policy
    • Volunteering
    • Careers
  • Resources
    • Resources
    • Annual reports
    • News & Events
    • Blog
  • Partnerships
    • Partnerships
    • Corporate Partnerships
Menu
  • Support WWF
    • Donate
    • Adopt
    • Shop
Menu
  • Support WWF
    • Donate
    • Adopt
    • Shop
  • Our Work
    • Our Work
    • Climate
    • Forests
    • Freshwater
    • Oceans
    • Wildlife
    • Sustainable Finance
    • Sustainable Business
  • About Us
    • About us
    • Chairman & CEO’s Note
    • Board of Directors
    • Senior Management
    • Whistleblowing Policy
    • Volunteering
    • Careers
  • Resources
    • Resources
    • Annual reports
    • News & Events
    • Blog
  • Partnerships
    • Partnerships
    • Corporate Partnerships
DONATE
ADOPT
SHOP

Building a future in which people live in harmony with nature

Facebook Instagram Youtube Linkedin Twitter

Thai ivory ban needed to save elephants

Thai ivory ban needed to save elephants

January 15, 2013
Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin

BANGKOK, January 15, 2013 – Massive quantities of African ivory are being laundered through shops in Thailand and fuelling the elephant poaching crisis, conservation group WWF says. The organization today is launching a global petition asking Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to ban all ivory trade in Thailand in order to curb the illegal killing of African elephants.

Although it is against the law to sell ivory from African elephants in Thailand, ivory from domestic Thai elephants can be sold legally. Criminal networks are exploiting this legal loophole and flooding Thai shops with blood ivory from Africa.

“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 through hundreds of retail outlets,” according to the 2012 report of the Elephant Trade Information System.

“Many foreign tourists would be horrified to learn that ivory trinkets on display next to silks in Thai shops may come from elephants massacred in Africa. It is illegal to bring ivory back home and it should no longer be on sale in Thailand,” said Elisabeth McLellan, manager of WWF’s Global Species Programme.

In March, representatives from 176 governments will meet in Bangkok to discuss global wildlife trade issues, including rampant elephant poaching in Africa. WWF is calling on Ms Shinawatra to use the opportunity to announce her country’s commitment to banning ivory trade in Thailand.

For further information or to schedule an interview with a WWF expert, please contact:
Alona Rivord, arivord@wwfint.org, +41 79 959 1963

PrevBack to Previous Page
NextNext

RELATED PUBLICATIONS

RELATED LINKS

TAKE ACTION NOW. BAN THAI IVORY TRADE!

SHARE THIS

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin

RELATED ARTICLES

WWF-Singapore’s new report finds that clean cooling solutions are critical for Singapore to achieve climate targets

June 30, 2022

WWF-Singapore and Temasek Foundation open admissions to youths to join Class of 2022 for Youth Sustainability Incubator Programme – We Got This

April 12, 2022

WWF-Singapore launches pilot aimed at reducing e-commerce packaging waste

April 5, 2022
Subscribe to the WWF newsletter and stay up-to-date with the latest news on WWF’s work.
Facebook Instagram Youtube Linkedin Twitter

Building a future in which people live in harmony with nature

Contact Us
354 Tanglin Road #02-11, Tanglin Block Tanglin International Centre Singapore 247672

+65 6730 8100

info@wwf.sg

Our Work
  • Climate
  • Forests
  • Freshwater
  • Oceans
  • Wildlife
  • Sustainable Finance
  • Sustainable Business
Menu
  • Climate
  • Forests
  • Freshwater
  • Oceans
  • Wildlife
  • Sustainable Finance
  • Sustainable Business
About Us
  • Work With Us
  • About WWF
  • Chairman & CEO Note
  • Board and Leadership
  • Senior Management
  • Whistleblowing Policy
  • Personal Data Protection Policy
Menu
  • Work With Us
  • About WWF
  • Chairman & CEO Note
  • Board and Leadership
  • Senior Management
  • Whistleblowing Policy
  • Personal Data Protection Policy
Resources
  • Blog
  • News & Events
Menu
  • Blog
  • News & Events
Partnerships
  • Corporate Partnerships
  • Sustainable Business
  • Sustainable Finance
Menu
  • Corporate Partnerships
  • Sustainable Business
  • Sustainable Finance
Be A Part of WWF
  • Adopt A Species
  • Be A Volunteer
  • Create Your Own Fundraiser
  • Online Shop
Menu
  • Adopt A Species
  • Be A Volunteer
  • Create Your Own Fundraiser
  • Online Shop

©️ 2021 WWF – World Wide Fund for Nature (Singapore) Limited (UEN 200602275E) |
©️ 1986 Panda Symbol WWF – World Wide Fund For Nature (formerly World Wildlife Fund) | ®️ “WWF” is a WWF Registered Trademark