Two days before the government plans to destroy two tonnes of confiscated ivory to prove its commitment to end illicit trafficking, environmental activists in Rayong are calling for the tusks and other pieces to be preserved as national property
The Rayong Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Volunteer Network (NEV-Net), led by president Surin Sinrat, today sent a formal request that the ivory destruction be stopped to newly-appointed Natural Resources and Environment Minister Surasak Kanchanarat.
The group also proposed that the ivory held as a state asset after the end of a court case. For example, it could be kept at the National Museum for learning purposes, the group said.
It also suggested that the seized ivory be sold under a system to identify and track down buyers to generate income for state coffers.
"The birth of natural resources is very slow but destroying them is very easy," Mr Surin noted.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation is due to hold an event presided over by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Wednesday to burn 2,155 kilogrammes in tusks, mostly from Africa, and other items made of ivory. The cache has an estimated value of about 100 million baht.
The last time the department destroyed confiscated ivory was in 1992.
If the government is bound under an international agreement to destroy the illegally procured ivory after court cases are concluded, the network advised the government to return the contraband to its origin country and let it decide how to proceed.