Animal exchange Thailand - Kenya

[Guest guest]

- Does Kenya need Thailand's help on Elephants? -

 

 

 

Welcome boost for night safari (Bangkok Post Nov 6, 2005)

 

The Chiang Mai Night Safari Park, part of a mega project aimed at turning

the province into ``Chiang Mai World'', has received a boost with Kenya

agreeing to provide Thailand with 135 African wild animals. Plodprasop

Suraswadi, chairman of the government committee in charge of the Night

Safari project, said Kenya officially notified Thai authorities that it

would sign a memorandum of understanding with Thailand on the matter. Under

the MoU, Kenya will supply 135 wild animals to Thailand, which in turn has

pledged to provide financial assistance worth 20 million baht to Kenya so it

can set up an elephant fund. He said the fund would help Kenya tackle the

problem of rogue elephants.

 

The MoU would be signed by the two governments during Prime Minister Thaksin

Shinawatra's official four-day visit to Kenya, which starts tomorrow.

 

The countries have also agreed to boost technical cooperation. Kenya will

send its officials to study the management of wildlife and marine life in

Thailand, Mr Plodprasop said. He said Kenya had agreed in principle to the

MoU and a letter stating its intent had already been handed to the prime

minister's secretary-general Prommin Lerdsuriyadet.

 

``As for the animals, I can't remember which species will be sent. Questions

have poured in asking whether or not some rare black rhinos, costing about

10 million baht each, will be among the animals. We're betting they will

be,'' he said.

 

Mr Plodprasop shrugged off heavy criticism from wildlife activists who have

expressed concern over the plight of the wild animals. He said Thailand was

capable of caring for the animals and that the handover would not violate

international wildlife or environmental laws.

 

He said the government of Kenya was willing to provide the animals to

Thailand, just as it would to Australia, China, European nations or the US.

 

``Thailand didn't beg for the animals. China has also given pandas to us. As

for non-governmental organisations [NGOs] who oppose this, let me face them,

I am not afraid of them,'' he said.

 

Several major NGOs have expressed strong opposition to the use of wildlife

for entertainment. They also questioned the deal's transparency. One key

concern is opposition to the export and exchange of wildlife, particularly

species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered

Species list, such as white rhinos, lions and Sita tigers.