BANGKOK – Thailand’s Office of the Attorney General and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched the Rapid Reference Guide on Applicable Offences to Trafficking of Critically Endangered Species in Thailand, a tool to help investigators and prosecutors navigate existing legislation to more effectively build strong cases resulting in successful prosecution of wildlife criminals.

“There is a common misconception that we need to fight wildlife crime with wildlife related laws, but this new guide opens the doors to an expanded approach with the possibility of applying a much wider legal framework to bring wildlife criminals to justice,” said Dr. Chatchom Akapin, Director General of the International Affairs Department within Thailand’s  Office of the Attorney General. “It’s a practical, easy-to-use Guide that I am sure will be a great resource for prosecutors and the wider law enforcement community. I look forward to the great results it will achieve.”

In Thailand, considered one of the main destination countries for illegal wildlife products, there is a wide range of domestic legislation that could be applied to the prosecution of wildlife crimes, and depending on the offence identified, each case will require different types of evidence to be collected. Direct communication between prosecutors and police has also been limited for cases involving critically endangered and species identified under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The Rapid Reference Guide succinctly outlines all laws directly or indirectly related to wildlife protection and wildlife crime, explains what evidence is required, and provides guidance on the early consultation between investigators and prosecutors.

The illegal wildlife trade is estimated at over $20 billion a year, and wildlife crime is the fourth most lucrative global crime in the world after drugs, trafficking in persons and illegal smuggling of weapons.

Due to its strategic location in Southeast Asia, Thailand has become a major transit hub for illegal wildlife products. Criminal syndicates make use of the country’s well-developed transport infrastructure to move illicit goods into nearby consumer countries such as China and Vietnam. Many shipments of rhino horn, elephant ivory and pangolin carcasses and scales have been seized in Thailand, especially at the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport. While these high-profile seizures are to be commended, the criminals involved often walk away unpunished.

The official launch of the Rapid Reference Guide included presentations on the guide, followed by  in-depth working sessions covering topics such as the challenges in charging and prosecuting trafficking cases, measures to boost interagency cooperation, managing bail applications and a discussion around sentencing considerations.

The USAID Wildlife Asia project is currently exploring the possibility of developing similar guides for use in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam over the next two years.