Bangkok – The Department of Foreign Trade, under the administration of the Ministry of Commerce, is drafting regulations requiring advance authorization for elephant exports.
The Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade, Adul Chotinisakorn, said his agency is in the process of drafting regulations and protocols for elephant exports from Thailand, in compliance with the Ministry of Commerce’s announcement.
The department is accepting input from related sectors through its website until March 22nd, 2019.
The new regulation will cover the Elephas maximus species, or the Asian elephant, as well as its sperm, embryo, hair, meat, skin, tooth, ivory, nail, bone, blood, genetic materials, as well as other parts from either dead or alive elephants, and products made from the animal’s parts.
Since 2009, Thailand has prohibited the export of elephants until the completion of nationwide house elephants’ registration to prevent the claim of wild elephants as house elephants for export. The authorities are however intending to enable the export of Thai elephants for international relations, researches, conservation, and as ancient items and artworks. The regulation for these exports will have to be meticulously considered by all related agencies to prevent animal cruelty and compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The drafted regulation, once approved, will be in effect as an interim measure until the enactment of the Elephant Act and its related laws, which will cover the process for import, export, and transfer of elephants into and via Thailand.
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