PHUKET is not perfect when it comes to treatment of wildlife but Samui is ''animal hell number one,'' says Edwin Wiek, founder of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand.
He was commenting on an online report that said two men had been arrested for possessing gibbons on Phuket and using them in tourist photo-touting. However, he said the problem actually occurred on Samui.
Mr Wiek said that while he believed that gibbons were still being illegally displayed for tourist photos sometimes on Phuket along Patong beach and in Soi Bangla, the touts ''don't show up every day any more.''
Earlier this year, police in Patong announced a crackdown on touts with iguanas in Soi Bangla, impounding several creatures and rejecting cash offers to allow the touts to continue.
Mr Wiek said that four killer whales had recently been spotted off the coast of Phuket, and there was also ''lots of movement'' of dolphin pods in the Andaman Sea.
He added that the WFFT was setting up its own marine research centre in Trang for dolphins, whales and dugongs. It was expected to be in operation from October 1. The region is also home to the Phuket Marine Biology Centre, which conducts research from its base on Cape Panwa.
Mr Wiek said 11 young orang-utans, seized on Phuket, early last year, had not yet been returned to Indonesia because, for the time being, they were guaranteed better treatment in Thailand.
Phuket's most pressing problems, he said, were with captive tiger cubs and with creatures on display in elephant camps. He also said that there were some gibbons on Phuket that had been held in captivity for up to 15 years ''to show their misery,'' rather than being released back into the wild.
Patong Police Chief Bans Tourist-Photo IguanasHe was commenting on an online report that said two men had been arrested for possessing gibbons on Phuket and using them in tourist photo-touting. However, he said the problem actually occurred on Samui.
Mr Wiek said that while he believed that gibbons were still being illegally displayed for tourist photos sometimes on Phuket along Patong beach and in Soi Bangla, the touts ''don't show up every day any more.''
Earlier this year, police in Patong announced a crackdown on touts with iguanas in Soi Bangla, impounding several creatures and rejecting cash offers to allow the touts to continue.
Mr Wiek said that four killer whales had recently been spotted off the coast of Phuket, and there was also ''lots of movement'' of dolphin pods in the Andaman Sea.
He added that the WFFT was setting up its own marine research centre in Trang for dolphins, whales and dugongs. It was expected to be in operation from October 1. The region is also home to the Phuket Marine Biology Centre, which conducts research from its base on Cape Panwa.
Mr Wiek said 11 young orang-utans, seized on Phuket, early last year, had not yet been returned to Indonesia because, for the time being, they were guaranteed better treatment in Thailand.
Phuket's most pressing problems, he said, were with captive tiger cubs and with creatures on display in elephant camps. He also said that there were some gibbons on Phuket that had been held in captivity for up to 15 years ''to show their misery,'' rather than being released back into the wild.
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hmm, phuket zoo, I was shocked when I went last year, needs some volunteer work as usual when something needs to be done in thailand... what would happen if all the volunteers stopped their much needed work?? thailand would go under and join atlantis!!!
sad but true, I go to phuket twice a year, since 15 years, and every year there is a little for the worse, sad for the hard working mass of people who get underpaid salaries!! they are the first to lose a job. by now I know what to avoid and try to find real thai owned restaurants etc, easy when the wife is with me, she born and raised in phuket town, from a poor hard working family.
tuk tuks, tailors etc, patong beach road no thanks! and all new fighting nationalities, patong is not safe anymore, been stabbed for no reason two years ago by expats, four of them on me only!
I will still go my two vac a year to hkt, but rearranged routes when there, its a love/hate thing! safest holiday destination still, but with shit on the rise, there will be a major change in the things are run in hkt soon I think, I wanna believe that, I love hkt, got some great friends, despite all negativity written, I`ll be there, I know it.
editor will probably edit this down a bit, but pliz let my positive thinking be understood, its a good thing its not an open air board, imagine that, no alco lock on lap tops..... all in hkt, stay healthy and well.
Posted by jojo on June 6, 2010 07:52