The Bangkok Post
Sunday May 25, 2008
Laos and Cambodia oppose restrictions
Sunday May 25, 2008
Laos and Cambodia oppose restrictions
By Apinya Wipatayotin
Laos and Cambodia _ major exporters of rosewood _ have opposed a Thai proposal to ban international trade of this most prized hardwood for fear of an adverse impact on their timber exports. Bangkok pushed for the listing of rosewood, or payoong, on the protected list of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) during a three-day meeting of Asean experts on Cites in Chon Buri, which ended on Friday.
Watana Vepayaprasit, chief of the wildlife and flora conservation division, said Thailand failed to convince Asean members to put the payoong tree on the Cites list.
Delegates from rosewood-rich countries, including Laos and Cambodia, disagreed with the Thai proposal, saying a ban would pose problems for their timber exporters, according to Mr Watana.
''We understand that this is a very sensitive issue for countries which export rosewood. But our purpose is not a total ban on trade. What we need is to ensure that the rosewood trade does not threaten its survival,'' he said.
He said Thailand would not give up and will continue to campaign for protection of the species.
Rosewood is listed as a protected species under Thai law, which also bans the timber trade.
However, the illegal trade of rosewood has increased recently, reportedly due to strong demand from China and Japan.
Police have made hundreds of raids since October last year and seized more than 50,000 logs of rosewood and arrested 527 people.
Most of the illegal timber was from the northeastern provinces of Ubon Ratchathani, Amnat Charoen, Yasothon, Si Sa Ket, Surin and Mukdahan.
The National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department has estimated there were about 300,000 rosewood trees left in the conservation zone.
Meanwhile, the 10 members of Asean agreed in principle to Vietnam's proposal to set up a wildlife rescue centre in each country to take care of wild animals confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade.
The centres will also be responsible for the repatriation of confiscated wild animals to their original habitats, said Mr Watana.
In cases where no country claims to be the owner, the animals will be donated to zoos or wildlife breeding centres.
Laos and Cambodia _ major exporters of rosewood _ have opposed a Thai proposal to ban international trade of this most prized hardwood for fear of an adverse impact on their timber exports. Bangkok pushed for the listing of rosewood, or payoong, on the protected list of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) during a three-day meeting of Asean experts on Cites in Chon Buri, which ended on Friday.
Watana Vepayaprasit, chief of the wildlife and flora conservation division, said Thailand failed to convince Asean members to put the payoong tree on the Cites list.
Delegates from rosewood-rich countries, including Laos and Cambodia, disagreed with the Thai proposal, saying a ban would pose problems for their timber exporters, according to Mr Watana.
''We understand that this is a very sensitive issue for countries which export rosewood. But our purpose is not a total ban on trade. What we need is to ensure that the rosewood trade does not threaten its survival,'' he said.
He said Thailand would not give up and will continue to campaign for protection of the species.
Rosewood is listed as a protected species under Thai law, which also bans the timber trade.
However, the illegal trade of rosewood has increased recently, reportedly due to strong demand from China and Japan.
Police have made hundreds of raids since October last year and seized more than 50,000 logs of rosewood and arrested 527 people.
Most of the illegal timber was from the northeastern provinces of Ubon Ratchathani, Amnat Charoen, Yasothon, Si Sa Ket, Surin and Mukdahan.
The National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department has estimated there were about 300,000 rosewood trees left in the conservation zone.
Meanwhile, the 10 members of Asean agreed in principle to Vietnam's proposal to set up a wildlife rescue centre in each country to take care of wild animals confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade.
The centres will also be responsible for the repatriation of confiscated wild animals to their original habitats, said Mr Watana.
In cases where no country claims to be the owner, the animals will be donated to zoos or wildlife breeding centres.
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