The United States and an international wildlife protection organisation have applauded Bangkok's destruction of 2.2 tonnes of confiscated ivory Wednesday, as the government steps up its fight against trafficked ivory.
In a ceremony presided over by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, 2,155 kilogrammes of raw tusks and carved trinkets were fed into an industrial rock crusher before being incinerated.
It marked the first time the kingdom has taken steps to destroy part of its stockpile of seized illegal ivory.
The contraband was estimated to be worth about more than 100 million baht, officials said.
Welcoming the move, the US said Bangkok's destruction of ivory and trafficked wildlife items sends a clear message that the illicit commerce which fuels the slaughter of protected species such as elephants has no place in the world.
The demand for ivory and other illicit wildlife products has led to a massive killing of elephants and other iconic species.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) secretary-general, John E Scanlon, said the ivory burn-up would raise further awareness about the devastating impacts of the illegal trade in elephant ivory and efforts by the international community including Thailand to put an end to it.
He also expressed admiration for Thailand's national ivory action plans, including a change to the Wild Animals Reservation and Protection Act and the new Elephant Ivory Act. They introduced new penalties for the illegal trade or possession of African elephant ivory.
The government has also set up ivory trade patrol teams across the country and special task forces on intelligence and suppression of the ivory trade.
Feeding the crusher: Workmen sent 2.2 tonnes of illegal ivory into an industrial rock crusher, after which the pieces were burnt. (Photo by Chanat Katanyu)
"The destruction of confiscated elephant ivory in Bangkok today will not put an end to the illegal trade in elephant ivory. It is, however, ensuring that no one will ever profit from this contraband," he said.
"When coupled with the seizures and prosecution and conviction of offenders, it sends a powerful message that Thailand will not tolerate this illegal trade."
Gen Prayut said Thailand would play leading role in fighting the illegal ivory trade in the region.
"I'll lead Asean in taking care of the elephants," Gen Prayut told the ceremony, held at the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. "This isn't only an issue for Thailand."
Most of the destroyed ivory was smuggled from African countries into Thailand, which has been branded as one of eight countries serving as an illegal tusk transportation route.
Cites has asked Thailand to come up with better steps to help stop the trade or suffer the effects of trade sanctions.
Cities had threatened in March to impose an international wildlife trade ban on Thailand if it failed to crack down on illegal ivory. Trade in ivory was banned in 1989 under Cities, but that has not stopped criminal gangs seeking to exploit a continued demand for tusks in Asia.
In response, the country has tightened steps to fight the trade, including enforcing the Ivory Act which requires people who own tusks and ivory items to register and declare them to authorities.
Authorities have also made a series of high-profile seizures including four tonnes of ivory found hidden in containers in April that originated in the Democratic Republic of Congo and was destined for Laos. Police seized more than three tonnes of ivory a week later in a second haul, this time from Kenya that was again destined for Laos.
The ivory destroyed Wednesday accounts for nearly all of Thailand's stockpile where criminal cases have been completed.
Thai elephant numbers are increasing, Gen Prayut said, without giving details but comparing the domestic situation with that worldwide, where about 30,000 elephants are killed a year.