Research & Article
Ongoing Trade in Illegally-Sourced Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles Highlights the Need for Legal Reform in Thailand
By Chris R. Shepherd, Vincent Nijman
Published on 19 June 2024
Conservation Legislation and Policies, Natural Resource and Environmental Conservation
Location of original sources
Natural History Bulletin of the Siam Society (NHBSS) , Vol. 61, No. 1, 2015
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Loopholes in Thailand’s CITES-implementing legislation, the Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act (WARPA), continue to enable trade in illegally-sourced tortoises and freshwater turtles, and other wildlife, smuggled into the country and sold openly in markets such as the Chatuchak Weekend Market. As such, Thailand remains a major global hub for the trade in highly threatened wildlife. Legal reform is essential to make it illegal to buy, sell or keep any CITESlisted species without permission.