ASEAN to discuss wildlife

BANGKOK, June 1 (TNA) - About 150 national park officials from members countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will hold a three-day meeting, starting from next Monday, in Chiang Mai province in the Thai North on how to effectively protect wildlife and flora in the region, after the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is established by 2015. Theerapat Prayurasiddhi, Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation under the Thai Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, told reporters Saturday that the participants will also exchange their experiences on wildlife and flora protection during the 8th ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network Meeting. Theerapat said it is believed that the outcome of the June 3-5 meeting will be implemented when AEC is formed. Official statistics, meanwhile, show more than 300 cases of smuggling of wildlife and flora in ASEAN, including Thailand, over the past eight months, started from October 2012, with more than 7,000 items of wildlife and flora seized. Theerapat acknowledged that the rescued wildlife and confiscated flora were worth several millions of baht. According to the senior official, wildlife smuggling is rampant due to high demand in the local market, while legal punishment is light. As monsoon season is approaching, the senior official revealed that some wildlife national parks in Thailand will be temporarily closed to enable officials to take care of the environment. (TNA)