The SMART Patrol System is a crucial tool for enhancing the effectiveness of preventing and combating wildlife and forest resource crimes in protected areas. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, recognizing the importance of developing patrol officer skills, has partnered with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Thailand to conduct two training courses from 2019 to 2021 for trainers to equip park rangers with the necessary skills.
However, currently, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation only has 62 trainer-instructors to develop the leadership and tactical skills of patrol teams for the SMART Patrol System, while there are 232 protected areas under the department that intensively use this system.
In this regard, WWF Foundation, in collaboration with the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Thailand, recognizes the need to increase the number of trainers to adequately cover conservation areas in all regions of Thailand. Therefore, we have jointly supported the “Training Program for the Development of Trainers to Enhance Efficiency”.
As a result, they have jointly supported the “Third Training Program for Developing Trainers to Enhance the Effectiveness of Quality Patrols” – a training course for developing the leadership and tactical skills of patrol teams within the SMART Patrol System. The opening ceremony was held on July 1, 2024, at the Regional Tiger Conservation Training Center in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, Uthai Thani province, presided over by Mr. Ruangroj Atsawakultharind, Director of the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Office 12 (Nakhon Sawan).
The training program, conducted from July 1 to 29, 2024, includes both theoretical lectures and practical exercises. Thirty frontline personnel responsible for prevention and suppression will participate in the training. The goal is to enhance their capacity to conduct quality patrols, establish standardized practices for protecting existing forest reserves, and mitigate threats to forest resources, wildlife, and biodiversity in protected areas nationwide.
