What do you use for contraception?

[rooster59]

Thailand celebrates Elephant Day, hoping tourists will return

By Vorasit Satienlerk and Juarawee Kittisilpa

People attend the celebration of Thailand's National Elephant Day in the ancient city of Ayutthaya, Thailand, March 13, 2021. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa

AYUTTHAYA, Thailand (Reuters) - Thailand held a fruit banquet for dozens of elephants in the ancient capital Ayutthaya on Saturday, continuing an annual event which has been a big draw for foreign tourists in the hope they will return soon and revive the key tourism industry.

The feast marks the country's Elephant Day, celebrating elephants as a source of national pride and cultural identity for Thailand throughout its history, used for labour, transport and in battlefield triumphs by warriors and kings.

"We, the elephant people, are hoping that the government will open up the country (soon) to welcome foreign tourists in order for them to bring in income so that we can pay for the elephant food and compensation for their handlers," said Ittipan Kharwlamai, General Manager of the Royal Elephant Kraal and Village, an elephant camp, located north of Bangkok.

"We hope that tourists will help us and all 3,800 (domesticated) elephants to survive," he said.

The tourism-reliant country has yet to lift a travel ban imposed last April to curb the outbreak, keeping most foreign travellers and investors away.

Southeast Asia's second-largest economy suffered its deepest slump in over two decades last year, when the number of foreign visitors plunged 83% from nearly 40 million in 2019.

Animal rights groups have long been calling for the elephant camps in Thailand to end animal shows and rides, branding the shows a form of animal abuse.

(Writing by Orathai Sriring; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-03-13

 

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[Justgrazing]

9 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Animal rights groups have long been calling for the elephant camps in Thailand to end animal shows and rides, branding the shows a form of animal abuse

Not on your Nelly they won't

Pachyderms are there for exploitation no matter how they dress it up ..

Edited March 13, 2021 by Justgrazing
Sp

[ThailandRyan]

Lipstick on a pig and wishful prayers to bring back the tourists.

[DJBenz]

As long as the tourists can watch the elephant banquet from the balconies of their enforced quarantine hotels, this will be an absolute winner. 
 

Oh well...

[gunderhill]

Its  the white  elephant in the room they need to check up on, Quarantine

[gunderhill]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

used for labour, transport and in battlefield triumphs

Yeah outright slavery, well done, used and abused. ELM forget the people of  colour's  live's  mattering

[Blumpie]

Animal cruelty aside,

Chinese aren't vaccinating like the rest of the world.  The government doesn't prioritize vaccinations because it appears they don't really care if they travel or not.  The money stays in China.  That is why they are practicing vaccine diplomacy and sending their vaccines elsewhere.  

To say that tourism is going to return to pre-pandemic levels in thailand is actually quite laughable.  And no, expat or person who regularly spends six months in Thailand, I"m not talking about you.  I'm talking about tourists.  

I'm not interested in wearing a tracker when I arrive.  I"m interested in Thailand getting its population inoculated so we can continue on as normal.  How's that going?  Not well I understand.

[HenryPattaya]

The Cabinet and PM not taking the vaccine has really scared the average Thai about getting the vaccine 

[Albert Zweistein]

And in battlefields triumphs, what about the defeats ?

[spidermike007]

The domestic tourism industry could have continued to boom, had the administration not completely botched the second wave response. By not locking down just a section of Samut province, they allowed it to spread nationwide. It was dumb and beyond irresponsible. It is reason enough to demand their resignations. From Prayuth, to Anutin and the remainder of the incompetents. In addition, it might have meant the international tourism industry could have been kickstarted earlier. This has been a major failure. Millions should be demanding accountability for this fiasco. 

[hotchilli]

22 hours ago, rooster59 said:

The feast marks the country's Elephant Day, celebrating elephants as a source of national pride and cultural identity for Thailand throughout its history,

Maybe in the past but more like profit in recent history

[PatOngo]

22 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"We hope that tourists will help us and all 3,800 (domesticated) elephants to survive," he said.

The National symbol and they are asking tourists for help! Yeah right! Get your act together, elephants have been around in your country forever and still you can't care for them??? Maybe less snouts in the trough and more recourses to elephants!

 

Edited March 14, 2021 by PatOngo

[Burma Bill]

22 hours ago, rooster59 said:

the country's Elephant Day

Relax, put feet up and enjoy the day:-

[unblocktheplanet]

21 hours ago, Blumpie said:

Animal cruelty aside,

Chinese aren't vaccinating like the rest of the world.  The government doesn't prioritize vaccinations because it appears they don't really care if they travel or not.  The money stays in China.  That is why they are practicing vaccine diplomacy and sending their vaccines elsewhere.  

To say that tourism is going to return to pre-pandemic levels in thailand is actually quite laughable.  And no, expat or person who regularly spends six months in Thailand, I"m not talking about you.  I'm talking about tourists.  

I'm not interested in wearing a tracker when I arrive.  I"m interested in Thailand getting its population inoculated so we can continue on as normal.  How's that going?  Not well I understand.

No, not well. The plan was to make money off vaccines so they didn't really nail down a procurement plan in case that failed.

I'm interested, though, in where you read China is not on a fullscale vaccination programme. They're a big world population. Certainly could skew safety if the rest of us are depending on vaccines.

[Stargeezr]

Well these elephants seem well fed and taken care of.  I do hope that the tourists can start to come back to Thailand

all fully vaccinated, by next year.  I did hear the stories of China not giving all their people the vaccine, and that does

make me wonder about China. I am just waiting for my first jab, and hope I will be protected enough when I do get to travel again.

Geezer

[Somtamnication]

Oh goodie. That means that baby elephants are returned to their mother and no more electric rods on their legs? I must be dreaming!