Soi Dog Foundation
Soi Dog Foundation 
Dec 1, 2015 
NGOs, Soi Dog Foundation 
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CO-OPERATION IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TWO ILLEGAL TRADES
For years, the illegal smuggling of wildlife across Thailand’s 850 kilometer Mekong river border with Laos has been a serious issue.
Following a meeting with the new commander of the Royal Thai Navy Mekong River Unit, (MRU) Nong Kai District Captain Suchat Udomnak, Soi Dog Foundation, and MRU agents in Thailand and Laos will share information to increase pressure on criminal gangs.
Soi Dog Foundation president John Dalley recently issued this report:
“Smuggling operations are controlled by known powerful figures on both sides of the border. Whether it is dogs, wildlife, rosewood, drugs or even human trafficking, these people control the trade in much the same way as Mexican drug cartels control drug trafficking to the USA.
They have established highly organized networks of agents and informers who quickly advise of any operation being mounted by the authorities.
This was brought home to me when visiting a known crossing point last week. As we approached the river we passed a car which had been pulled well off the road, the driver who was standing next to it immediately pulled out his phone. The MRU officer told his driver to hurry and pulled out his gun.
On arriving at the pier we could see a long tail boat containing a number of men and large plastic ice bins heading across the river. Searching the area at the top of the bank, we found large lumps of ice giving off a pungent odour. On examining them, the experienced officer believed that the bins would have contained tiger parts or bear paws. The ice is discarded to reduce the weight of the heavy ice boxes when taking them down the river bank.
The boat proceeded directly across the river before turning right. We drove to another pier two kilometres further downstream and in the failing light were able to see lights being flashed from a makeshift harbour where the boat stopped and offloaded its cargo. The frustration of the MRU officer was plain to see.
The commander cited 4 main issues:
1. Corruption amongst law enforcement agencies including his own
2. The length of the border and myriad of crossing places used by locals, making it in effect an open border.
3. The power and organisation of the main figures involved
4. The lack of resources to enable them to effectively combat the gangs
We know that the smuggling of dogs has been drastically reduced thanks to the new Animal Welfare law, the work of our agents, and the effectiveness of billboards offering rewards for information leading to arrests. The site of large trucks carrying hundreds of dogs is currently a thing of the past.
Dogs are now generally transported by local people in ones and twos, and then held in holding areas on the Laos side. Larger shipments of 20-50 dogs do occur, but the trade in dogs has been drastically reduced for the time being.
The profits from wildlife, rosewood and drug smuggling are huge. Once on the Laos side, wildlife and rosewood are in effect legalised and transported by road to Vietnam and China. Conversely, some Laos wildlife is smuggled into Thailand for local consumption.
A joint raid by our suppression unit and the MRU on a market close to the river found a stall manned by Laos villagers selling a dead giant black squirrel, as well as the carcasses of smaller animals such as loris and civets. Two live Mong parrots were also seized.”
As a result of our ongoing work against the dog meat trade, our undercover investigators receive a wealth of information which is shared with organisations such as TRAFFIC, who are fighting to end the illegal trade in wildlife.
For years, the illegal smuggling of wildlife across Thailand’s 850 kilometer Mekong river border with Laos has been a serious issue.Following a meeting with the new commander of the Royal Thai Navy Mekong River Unit, (MRU) Nong Kai District Captain Suchat Udomnak, Soi Dog Foundation, and MRU agents in Thailand and Laos will share information to increase pressure on criminal gangs.Soi Dog Foundation president John Dalley recently issued this report:“Smuggling operations are controlled by known powerful figures on both sides of the border. Whether it is dogs, wildlife, rosewood, drugs or even human trafficking, these people control the trade in much the same way as Mexican drug cartels control drug trafficking to the USA.They have established highly organized networks of agents and informers who quickly advise of any operation being mounted by the authorities.This was brought home to me when visiting a known crossing point last week. As we approached the river we passed a car which had been pulled well off the road, the driver who was standing next to it immediately pulled out his phone. The MRU officer told his driver to hurry and pulled out his gun. On arriving at the pier we could see a long tail boat containing a number of men and large plastic ice bins heading across the river. Searching the area at the top of the bank, we found large lumps of ice giving off a pungent odour. On examining them, the experienced officer believed that the bins would have contained tiger parts or bear paws. The ice is discarded to reduce the weight of the heavy ice boxes when taking them down the river bank. The boat proceeded directly across the river before turning right. We drove to another pier two kilometres further downstream and in the failing light were able to see lights being flashed from a makeshift harbour where the boat stopped and offloaded its cargo. The frustration of the MRU officer was plain to see.The commander cited 4 main issues:1. Corruption amongst law enforcement agencies including his own2. The length of the border and myriad of crossing places used by locals, making it in effect an open border.3. The power and organisation of the main figures involved4. The lack of resources to enable them to effectively combat the gangsWe know that the smuggling of dogs has been drastically reduced thanks to the new Animal Welfare law, the work of our agents, and the effectiveness of billboards offering rewards for information leading to arrests. The site of large trucks carrying hundreds of dogs is currently a thing of the past. Dogs are now generally transported by local people in ones and twos, and then held in holding areas on the Laos side. Larger shipments of 20-50 dogs do occur, but the trade in dogs has been drastically reduced for the time being. The profits from wildlife, rosewood and drug smuggling are huge. Once on the Laos side, wildlife and rosewood are in effect legalised and transported by road to Vietnam and China. Conversely, some Laos wildlife is smuggled into Thailand for local consumption. A joint raid by our suppression unit and the MRU on a market close to the river found a stall manned by Laos villagers selling a dead giant black squirrel, as well as the carcasses of smaller animals such as loris and civets. Two live Mong parrots were also seized.”As a result of our ongoing work against the dog meat trade, our undercover investigators receive a wealth of information which is shared with organisations such as TRAFFIC, who are fighting to end the illegal trade in wildlife.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/SoiDogPageInEnglish/photos/a.100606..
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