US praises Thailand for crushing 2.1 tonnes of illegal ivory

The government joined the United States and other nations in crushing and burning the ivory and trafficked wildlife items. According to the US Embassy in Bangkok, the action sent a clear message that the illicit commerce that fuels the slaughter of protected species such as elephants had no place in the world.
“This event in Bangkok along with ongoing efforts (such as strengthening protection of African elephants under Thai law and tightening regulations on the ivory sale) signalled the government’s commitment to ending a global challenge of wildlife trafficking,” the embassy said.
It affirmed that the US remained deeply committed to working in partnership with Thailand and other governments, NGOs and others to end wildlife trafficking.
Embassy officials including acting deputy chief of mission Kristina Kvien watched the destruction event.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, presiding over the ivory-crushing ceremony, said no elephant would be killed again for whatever reason. He called this event a chance to declare Thailand’s stance against illegal ivory trades and to adhere to CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
“We must tackle this issue efficiently for the progress of Thailand and for our work to be recognised by the international community. We must collaborate, cooperate, and put into practice the introduced regulations and keep doing our best to protect elephants with strict enforcement,” Prayut said.
He pointed out that the government was backed by the Elephant Ivory Act 2015 and supported by agencies and owners and traders who registered their ivory. He said Thailand would now be free from such law violations.