Buyers should exercise caution. Following a report from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) about illegal ivory trafficking, Thailand is stepping up enforcement. Foreign visitors can be arrested if found carrying elephant tusks or ivory items, even when they believe their purchase was lawful.
“You will be arrested at the airport in Thailand or in your original country if we find you are trying to carry ivory products outside the Kingdom,” said Theerapat Prayurasiddhi, deputy director general of Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.
The intensified enforcement follows findings presented at a recent CITES-related global conservation meeting in Bangkok that listed Thailand among eight countries most involved in illegal elephant killings and the ivory trade. The other countries named were Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and China. Each of these nations has been asked to develop an action plan to reduce ivory trafficking.
The situation is complicated in Thailand because trade in ivory from elephants that died of natural causes is permitted. The difficulty lies in reliably determining an ivory piece’s origin. To address this, Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation will require ivory traders to submit detailed records of all tusks sourced from domestic elephants. Government agencies that hold ivory will also be required to provide inventories and documentation about their items.
Travelers should therefore be aware that possessing ivory, even when bought locally, carries significant legal risk. Authorities are increasing inspections at airports and other exit points, and enforcement actions may involve detainment and prosecution. Visitors planning to purchase or transport carved ivory pieces, jewelry, or any tusk-derived objects should refrain from doing so unless they can provide clear, verifiable documentation that meets Thai regulatory requirements.
These measures aim to improve traceability and discourage illicit trade by closing loopholes that make it difficult to distinguish between legally sourced ivory and items linked to poaching. For conservationists and policymakers, the new rules are an attempt to protect elephant populations by tightening controls over the market and ensuring that all stakeholders—private traders and state institutions alike—are accountable for the ivory in their possession.
Ultimately, the message is simple: avoid buying or attempting to export ivory from Thailand. The legal and ethical risks are substantial, enforcement is intensifying, and documentation requirements are becoming stricter to prevent corrupt or illegal supply chains from persisting.