Today is Thailand's Wildlife Preservation Day. It marks the birth of the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act which came into effect on Dec 26, 1960. Survival of threatened wildlife in the country has long been dependent on this law.
Despite facing criticisms over a number of environmental issues over the past four and a half years, the military government has also brought about a range of positive changes to the country's environmental management by enforcing this law.
Given the amount of animals killed in road accidents or by traffickers, the public may have the impression that wildlife is still abundant. But in reality, our wildlife is in a critical state, with a number of species under serious threat or close to extinction.
About 18% of the country's total area of 513,000 square kilometres is designated as wildlife protection zones, including national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and non-hunting areas. According to a Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation survey in 2010, wild animals occupied less than 10% of the country's area, compared with the years before when they were found nationwide.
Some species' numbers were already in a critical state, such as tigers and leopards, which were found roaming only 3% of the country; bantengs 1%, wild buffaloes 0.5%, deer and guars altogether 7%. Even elephants were found roaming only 8% of the area.
What this means is that there is little habitat for the animals. Many endangered species are either under threat or already disturbed by human activities in what ecologists call "empty forests" which increase odds of them being poached.
The future of our wild animals, therefore, dependent on "the guardians" -- those officers, academics and researchers, advocates, as well as the media, who give voice to the issue.
But it is the government which will ultimately decide their fate as it has the power to implement policies that will impact habitats in the long run.
As a member representing the academic sector in various national committees on the environment, wildlife preservation and protection, as well as national parks, I have observed how this government has pushed for progress in conservation.
Among the foremost achievements of this government are law amendment and enforcement in regard to African elephant ivory. Earlier, Thailand was accused of having no control over the trade and transit of ivory and worsening the mass killing of African elephants, up to 20,000-30,000 per year.
In 2015, the government decided to list African elephants as a protected species under the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act, while pushing through a new bill regulating the ivory trade which sent over 90% of ivory shops in Bangkok into a nosedive.
The military government has also suspended the Mae Wong dam project. If proceeded, the project would adversely affect wildlife in the last lowland forest in the Western Forest Complex.
Facing strong opposition from conservationists led by the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation, the Royal Irrigation Department has withdrawn the project's environmental impact assessment, paving way for alternative water management in the area.
The government then appointed water management executives with a new vision to manage water resources in several areas, helping retain hope for tigers' survival in the Mae Wong national park.
Under the government, the wildlife corridor on Highway 304 -- connecting Khao Yai and Thap Lan National Parks to the World Heritage of Dong Phaya Yen-Khao Yai Forest Complex -- is the first in Asia that meets international standards. If completed next year, threatened species. including tigers and rare serows, will be able to cross the highway and breed in both sides of the complex.
Another example of law enforcement is the suspension of Highway No.12 cutting through the Nam Nao National Park in the Northeast. The project was planned as a two-lane highway which would expand into four lanes for over 70 kilometres.
But the national environment committee, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, decided to suspend the project after learning about the potential threat to wildlife from some academics. It instructed the Highways Department to find an alternative route. If built, the road expansion would ease traffic in the park, but it would also increase the chances of wild animals, including elephants, gaurs and deer, being killed on the highway.
Under this government, there has been an improvement in the collection of entrance fees to national parks. This has increased the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation (DNP)'s income five-fold. At a glance, it may have nothing to do with wildlife, but, in fact, it has everything to do with it.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Surasak Kanjanarat appointed Thanya Netithammakul as the DNP chief in 2016. Mr Thanya has introduced new management to oversee entrance fee collection, getting rid of the alleged corruption that has plagued the process for years.
This improvement has seen the DNP's fee collection surge to 2.4 billion baht from around 400-500 million baht in the past. The increased income has been channelled into boosting smart patrols -- a key area protection mechanism that helps ensure the protection of wildlife and its habitats in the long run.
Rangers, too, have also gained support from the money, having had their welfare improved.
The government has, in addition, pushed for the designation of new national parks and no-hunting zones to increase the protected area.
Several times, therefore, it has demonstrated its desire not to stand in the way of conservation.
Anak Pattanavibool is director of the Wildlife Conservation Society Thailand.