Edwin Wiek, a Dutch national, who has spent the past five years setting up one of the country's top animal centres in Phetchaburi, was found guilty of illegal possession of about a dozen animals, mainly monkeys, after being formally charged by the Department of National Parks early last year.

He is the first activist to receive such a sentence. Wildlife groups said it was an outrage that the department pursued charges against Wiek when little was being done against serious animal smugglers.

Wiek claimed the charges were pushed by a senior official who has been upset by his efforts to force the government to return dozens of smuggled orang-utans found at Safari World tourist park in Bangkok three years ago back to Indonesia.

Wiek admitted he did not have a licence from the department to hold the animals, some of which were protected. Most had been rescued from cruel living conditions or animal abuse - then left at his centre by another wildlife group. Some were given to him to care for by forestry officials.

Wiek said his role was to help rescue animals poached from the jungle and to provide them with sanctuary in the hope they may be returned to the wild.

He has more than 200 rescued animals at his centre but did not have papers for about a dozen when officials conducted a raid.

Roger Lohanan, chairman of the Thai Animal Guardians' Association (TAGS), said Wiek's punishment would cause problems for wildlife protection. "No one will want to provide shelter to unwanted wildlife through fear that one day they might be arrested and charged with the same offence as Wiek," he said.

Roger said TAGS gave 11 macaques to Wiek, as previous owners left them with his group. He said he had contacted the wildlife department to collect the animals, but they had declined.

Roger backed Wiek, saying the department had selectively enforced the law. While Wiek was convicted, Safari World had escaped court action despite 50 illegally imported orang-utans being discovered there. Rather than being charged with illegal possession of wildlife under the Wildlife Protection Act, Safari World's owner was only charged under the Customs Act for smuggling orang-utans. The animals were then seized - while the owner escaped punishment.

Schawan Tunhikorn, deputy-director general of the Wildlife Department, said after the verdict: "I didn't abuse my power [as many might think], I just did my job in protecting wildlife."

Pennapa Hongthong,

Jim Pollard

The Nation