BANGKOK – Thailand is harbouring Asia’s largest illegal elephant ivory market and shows few signs of addressing the problem, a wildlife trade monitoring group said on June 19.

The report from TRAFFIC said Thai authorities need to reassess measures for controlling local ivory markets, which fall short of international standards.

TRAFFIC said Bangkok had emerged as the main hub for illegal ivory activities, accounting for more than 70 percent of the retail outlets in Thailand offering ivory items for sale.

“Legal loopholes and insufficient law enforcement mean that Thailand continues to harbour the largest illegal ivory market in Asia” the report said.

The report documented more than 26,000 worked ivory products for sale in Thai markets and found many more retail outlets dealing in such products than in 2001, although less worked ivory was openly on sale.

“Thailand has consistently been identified as one of the world’s top five countries most heavily implicated in the illicit ivory trade, but shows little sign of addressing outstanding issues,” said Tom Milliken of TRAFFIC.

Since 2004, the Thai government has only reported two ivory seizure cases totalling 1.2 tonnes of raw ivory, he said.

“Thailand needs to reassess its policy for controlling its local ivory markets as currently it is not implementing international requirements, to the ongoing detriment of both African and Asian elephant populations,” he added.

The report also raised concerns about the capture of live wild elephants to cater to adventure tourism in Thailand, and the hundreds of animals illegally imported from neighbouring Myanmar in recent years.

Although banned in Thailand since the 1970s, trade in the wild-caught animals mainly goes undetected because domesticated elephants need not be registered legally until they are eight years old, TRAFFIC said.

The group suggested a comprehensive registration system be set up for live elephants and all traded ivory.

“Thailand and Myanmar should work together, and with urgency, to address cross-border trade problems,” said Chris Shepherd, TRAFFIC’s Southeast Asia acting director.