MSN on November 15, 2018, 02:16:14 PM
This Wedding Season, WildAid Urges all Thai citizens to Celebrate with #NoSharkFinเบื้องหลังงานแต่งงาน - Making of a Wedding | WildAid PSA
ค่านิยมทำร้ายท้องทะเล | อ.วิโรจน์ ตั้งวาณิชย์ | WildAid
November 14, 2018 (Bangkok) – Today, WildAid released a 30-second video message, “Making of a Wedding,” starring Pong Nawat Kulrattanarak, Thailand’s superstar and passionate diver to promote the “Celebrate with No Shark Fin (ฉลองไม่ฉลาม) campaign launched earlier this year in July. The campaign urges Thai people to stop serving and consuming shark fin at weddings and any other celebratory events.
According to WildAid’s 2017 Shark Fin Demand in Thailand survey findings, more than half of urban Thais have eaten shark fin while alarmingly 61% of all respondents plan to consume it again in the future. Survey respondents said they consumed shark fin most often at weddings (72%), family meals at restaurants (61%) and business meetings (47%). The “Celebrate with No Shark Fin (ฉลองไม่ฉลาม)” campaign aims to end shark fin consumption in Thailand and thereby protect sharks, fisheries and the ocean ecosytem. It is an inititiative endorsed by Thailand’s government organization, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources.
Pong Nawat Kulrattanarak, known for his lead roles in Thailand and in Chinese television dramas has a strong passion for sharks and the ocean. “As weddings are auspicious events and a new beginning, one should not embark on this journey over the cost of endangering another species, such as sharks. Sharks are vital to the balance of the ocean’s ecosystem and we need to realize that before it’s too late. I urge everyone to stop serving shark fin at weddings and say no to shark fin and all shark-related menus. Please help protect the oceans by making #NoSharkFin #ฉลองไม่ฉลาม the new norm for all occasions,” said Nawat Kulrattanarak.
The 30-second video released today aims to educate the public on the cruelty behind consuming shark fin with a message urging public to not make an auspicious events unauspicious by serving and consuming shark fin. “Shark fin is not mentioned in Chinese literature as auspicious (มงคล) even once. It is only served due to the belief that it’s a luxurious dish and gives status to the hosts. But, these beliefs do not match today’s world and they are creating a huge loss to our environment and needs to be ended,” said Master Viroj Tangvarnich, an expert on Chinese culture.
“Does a celebratory event need to have shark fin on the menu to show that you have honor? I urge everyone to stop serving shark fin at your events and I believe that in return you will receive much more honor and respect,” said Dr. Vicharn Ingsrisawang, Director, Marine Fisheries and Research and Development Division, Department of Fisheries.
An estimated 100 million sharks are killed every year and fins from up to 73 million of those end up in shark fin soup. Thailand is home to an active domestic market for shark fins, with many consumers unaware of the cruel practice of "finning" behind each bowl of shark fin soup: a shark’s fins are often cut off at sea and the shark is thrown back into the water to suffer and die slowly.
“When it comes to weddings and family events, our elders play a huge role in planning it and making decisions. A WildAid survey found that of the 50% of urban Thais that have consumed shark fin, 72% of them did so at weddings. We need to decrease that number and help educate our elders about the impact serving shark shark fin has on our oceans and dissuade them from serving shark fin at any celebratory event. Sharks are important indicators of ocean’s good health just like tigers are indicators of a healthy forest, and without sharks the marine ecosystem could collapse,” said Sopon Thongdee, Deputy Director General, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources.
The creative concept of “Celebrate with No Shark Fin (ฉลองไม่ฉลาม) and both video messages, ‘Speak for Sharks’ and ‘Making of a Wedding,’ were developed pro bono by BBDO Bangkok, Thailand’s leading creative and advertising agency.
“We hope that our video messages can urge people to take action and help Thai people to protect sharks and our oceans. With help from such influential voices, government agencies, corporate and media partners, we aim to establish a new societal norm where sharks are permanently off the menu. Together, we can end the demand for shark fin in Thailand and save dwindling shark populations, because when the buying stops, the killing can too,” said John Baker, Chief Program Officer, WildAid.
The first public service announcement, called ‘Speak for Sharks’ and shark ambassador ‘Pong’ Nawat Kulrattanarak was launched on 14th July, 2018. The video message starring the ambassador was widely distributed on social media platforms and was aired on six prominent TV channels; One 31, GMM 25, Thai PBS, PPTV, NewTV and Spring News for three months. The print billboard under this campaign are also on displayed at 17 locations inside the Suvarnabhumi Airport, urging both Thais and tourists to say no to shark fin.
About WildAid
WildAid is a non-profit organization with a mission to end the illegal wildlife trade in our lifetimes. While most wildlife conservation groups focus on protecting animals from poaching, WildAid primarily works to reduce global consumption of wildlife products such as elephant ivory, rhino horn and shark fin soup. With an unrivaled portfolio of celebrity ambassadors and a global network of media partners, WildAid leverages nearly $230 million in annual pro-bono media support with a simple message: When the Buying Stops, the Killing Can Too.
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