Thailand is to chair a major meeting of all the signatories to CITES from Sunday (March 3) to March 14 at the Queen Sirikit Centre in Bangkok.
Arriving at Phuket International Airport yesterday the new DG, Manopat Huamuangkaew, and officers from the DNP’s CITES office handed out leaflets to passengers and put up posters, urging people not to buy goods made from parts of endangered or threatened species.
Mr Manopat said that Thailand will present three proposals to the meeting:
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To add Rosewood trees to CITES Appendix II, which includes species that are not actually threatened but could be if trade is not strictly regulated. This, he said, would reduce illegal exports of rosewood;
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To transfer freshwater crocodiles and saltwater crocodiles from Appendix I – species that are threatened with extinction – to Appendix II. This would ease restrictions on Thai exports of crocodile leather and other products from crocodile farms;
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To promote aromatic Agarwood for growing in plantations.
He said that holding the CITES meeting in Thailand would bring benefits for Thais, with government and private organizations, educational institutions and ordinary people all having a chance to learn more about CITES.
This would boost cooperation from Thai people in curbing trade in endangered species.
Conversely, the meeting will help other countries to understand that Thailand is not a center of illegal wildlife and plant trading.
Finally, Mr Manopat noted, about 3,000 people will attend the two weeks of meetings, which will contribute to Thailand’s tourism income.