Thailand-Vietnam Discuss Breeding and Reintroducing Thai Cranes Back into the Wild to Boost Regional Crane Populations

On February 23, 2024, at 11:45 a.m., Pol. Gen. Phatcharavat Wongsuwan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, assigned Capt. Rachata Phisitbanakorn, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, to represent him in discussions with Mr. Le Minh Hoan, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and his delegation during their visit to Thailand at the meeting room on the 20th floor of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The discussions focused on collaboration under the conservation project for cranes in Dong Thap Province, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, involving collaborative efforts between the Zoological Park Organization of Thailand, the People's Committee of Dong Thap Province, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Vietnam Zoological Association, and the International Crane Foundation. The project aims to breed and relocate Thai crane chicks raised in captivity back into the wild at Tram Chim National Park, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, to promote an increase in the crane population in the region.

Currently, the Zoological Park Organization of Thailand has a sufficient number of cranes and is in the process of preparing a memorandum of understanding between the Zoological Park Organization of Thailand and Dong Thap Province. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, which is the main agency for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) overseeing the import and export of wildlife, is in the process of legislating on this matter under the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act, B.E. 2562 (2019), expected to be completed by June 2024. In addition, the ministry will seek appropriate measures to respond to the cooperation between the two parties under the crane conservation project going forward. On this occasion, Mr. Le Minh Hoan, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, expressed admiration for Thailand's robust efforts in natural resource and environmental conservation, serving as a good model for neighboring countries, and expressed a desire to receive a pair of cranes during the Thai Prime Minister's visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in May 2024.