[Thailand] - PLEASE WRITE Agriculture Ministry's proposal to legalize commercial breeding farms

[Guest guest]

List, Regarding the two news articles appended below, please consider

writing protest letters to

 

Department of Agriculture

Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand

Tel./Fax ( 622 ) 940-6872, 9406874

e-mail : disc

 

 

Full article:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/14Nov2001_news13.html

 

Ministry's move to legalise commercial breeding lauded

 

Kultida Samabuddhi

 

Wildlife advocates praised an Agriculture Ministry proposal to legalise

commercial breeding of some species of protected wildlife but were concerned

farmers might abuse the privilege.

 

Robert Mather, World Wildlife Fund representative in Thailand, said the

breeding of protected species in the buffer zones of protected forests would

discourage local encroachment.

 

``But I'm worried that more wild animals will be taken from their natural

habitats to be used as breeding stock,'' Mr Mather said.

 

-- End of first news article --

 

Ananova

 

Minister wants villagers to breed rare animals

 

A member of the Thai Government wants poor villagers to

breed endangered gibbons, snakes and lizards.

 

The country's deputy agriculture minister says people in the

country's north-east could make cash from the trade.

 

At present, it is illegal to farm and sell the country's wild and

endangered animals.

 

Prapat Panyachatrat says allowing villagers to breed and

sell animals would improve their standard of living.

 

The north-east is a barren area which only supports one

rice crop a year and incomes are small.

 

According to the Thai Rath newspaper, the minister says he

wants the law changed to allow 57 endangered species,

including deer and frogs, to be farmed.

 

He also says people who keep wild animals as pets should

be given an amnesty and be allowed to sell them to the new

farms.

 

There is currently a significant illegal trade in endangered

animals.

 

Story filed: 06:41 Friday 9th November 2001