The government intends to make Thailand “free of the legal wildlife trade” while also combatting illegal trafficking in wild animals, the minister for natural resources and the environment, Waravut Silpa-archa, said on Thursday. Poaching is a significant problem and demand for some species, especially in China, is a key factor driving the wildlife trade. We need to stop the supply chain,” the minister said. In February 2020, the Chinese government announced a broad ban on the consumption of wild animals. Ending the wildlife trade is a vital step in preventing such crises, said Pimpavadee Phaholyothin, CEO of the World Wildlife Fund-Thailand.

Source: Irish Independent May 27, 2021 16:07 UTC