Naturally Bangkok
Bangkok never ceases to amaze me.
Verdant nature and vibrant Bangkok seem to meld into one.
Recently I went into the city (20 minutes from my home in the mangrove), and when walking through Central Embassy, I was suddenly engulfed with dancing children. 
Fortuantely, I had my iPhone in hand…
Later, when preparing the video for the school, and including some visuals of this new building, it became clear that the architecture resembled an elegant Cobra snake. Once again astonishment at the ways that nature and the city intermingle in all aspects of  life.

Baby Elephant Walk
Bangkok is an amazing city in the tropics.
It never ceases to surprise visitors (as well as locals), the most unusual and unique things seem to pop-up everywhere.

Care for the environment is the golden-thread running through the series of eBooks from IndoChinaPeninsula.  Public awareness about protection of the environment is the first stepping-stone, most people wish to contribute to a healthier environment, however, are not aware of how they can help - better legislation is proving to be crucial.

Tucked into the pages of our books, one can always find information about established organizations that are making huge efforts to help our planet - most places can be visited and most visitors leave feeling energized and inspired.

In 2015 the French Embassy in Bangkok sponsored an initiative to have 60 artists in Chiang Rai (Thailand) paint their version of a better world on fiber-glass-figurines of baby-elephants.  This exhibition was in Bangkok and you can find a youTube video of the painted figurines (2.30 minutes) if you click on the picture of the painted elephant.

IF you wish to have more information about elephants in Thailand, the artists in Chiang Rai, organizations dedicated to elephants, and time to study the pictures, a PDF file (18 mega) can be downloaded by clicking on the CITES logo.

CITES
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora was one of the first United Nations agencies and each year it is strengthened by the “Parties” (countries) that are members.  Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

It is through CITES that the international ban on the sale of ivory has taken hold.  The agreement to stop ivory-trade was agreed upon among member states (parties) and therefore, all countries are obliged to follow the laws which were put place.

CITES legislation is becoming more effective each year, INTERPOL also works with CITES to find and prosecute those that trade in illegal commodities.

It is illegal to cross borders with products made from wild fauna and flora, IF they are on the CITES Appendix / list.  Organizations that engage in sustainable-farming of products on the CITES Appendix / list have registered certificates to prove that the product they are selling has been “farmed” in an authorized / controlled environment.
www.CITES.org