Thailand brings in elephant patrols to protect tourists in Ayutthaya as visitor numbers fall

[10baht]

7 hours ago, kwilco said:

years and years people hve being trying to education the Thai authoities on animal welfare and the police go and do that! Unbelievable!!

By people you mean Euro-liberals?

[KhunLA]

2 minutes ago, digger70 said:

What about doing the same as in an Normal country.

They use horses and motorbikes and push bikes and cars for patrolling Hot areas.

For sure wouldn't want elephants running around in busy places I think that that's Not very Safe. might as well drive a Bulldozer or a tank.

Elephants ... way too impractical, and just a tourist attraction.  Humans can out spring and go where an elephant can not in an urban setting. Pure silliness and should be embarrassed to even suggest such a thing.

[roo860]

Gary Glitter made a guest appearance. 

[Purdey]

Went to Lopburi once. Vowed never to return due to monkeys trying to snatch everything. Same for Khao Takiab in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

Waited while some friends took an elephant ride and didn't notice animal cruelty first-hand, but domesticating wild animals is clearly not a good idea (I am not counting dogs and cats etc., as that ship has sailed)

The problem is, Thailand is so dependent on tourism for GDP that the uneducated majority are willing to use elephants as an attraction without really being aware of, or caring about, the problems they cause. Money is king.

 

[wealthychef]

3 hours ago, Skeptic7 said:

Accumulated your wealth as a chef. Cooking up tortured then slaughtered, decaying animal carcasses, their body fluids and embryos. No surprise you have no problem endorsing further abuse and exploitation. 🤬

Yes, and you forgot the part where I torture kittens.  Of course since you know nothing about me, I will forgive you assuming I am a chef, understandable mistake.  

[wealthychef]

3 hours ago, KhunLA said:

I call them discussions, until it's obvious the other party is simply a troll, and attacks the messenger instead of the message, then simply put them on the ignore list.

 

Suggesting you do a little research, to rid your ignorance, isn't exactly argumentative.  You're never to old to learn.

 

BYE BYE

 

Bye bye now!  Every notice how some people brighten the room just by leaving?  

 

[sambum]

Determined police in Lopburi worked through early Saturday morning to identify and arrest a 26-year-old man who snatched the handbag of a UK tourist at midnight.

Latest tourism security scare in the centre of Lopburi. A 26-year-old man was arrested on Saturday following an early morning handbag snatch targeting a UK tourist in the city in Central Thailand famous for its uproarious monkeys.

The Royal Thai Police is turning to elephant patrols in response to a directive by PM Srettha Thavisin to upgrade security for tourists in Thailand. It comes with visitor numbers from China down substantially in October following the tragic Paragon Shopping Centre shooting in the Pathum Wan area of Bangkok on October 3rd. The latest incident saw police in Lopburi province arrest a local 26-year-old after he snatched the handbag of a 37-year-old UK visitor as police nationwide remain on high alert to protect the Kingdom’s image.

 

Do we really need to be told THREE times about a handbag snatch in an article about elephants?

[oldestswinger]

The only surprise of this gimmick is that they didn't paint the elephants pink.

[worrab]

This is just so wrong. So many animal welfare groups have condemned this practice of riding in a howdah!! Many elephant sanctuaries have stopped doing this as it is, quite simply, not healthy for the elephant as their backs/spine are not designed for carrying weight!

And before the comments come in, I am well aware of what happened in the past but they did not know any different. The RTP should be ashamed of this publicity stunt and stop it NOW!!

[kwilco]

2 hours ago, 10baht said:

By people you mean Euro-liberals?

What a foolish and ill-informed comment.

[off road pat]

7 hours ago, wealthychef said:

I can't believe anyone is negative about this.  It's absolutely quintessential Thailand and is fabulous from my perspective.  If you hate this you are in the wrong damned country for sure.  

Hm,..So we have to like what you like, or we are the wrong people in the wrong country,...!?

[Hardcastle P]

So its the wildlife that's causing the lack of visitors, nice try. 

[erkho]

Using elephants for anything other than viewing is asking for worldwide banishment. I don’t care who is in power or what happens but smarten up when it comes to elephants or you will see tourism plummet further. Btw, I’m not a tree hugger but would like to see Thailand seen more seriously, this willl not accomplish this and hurt tourism numbers further. Don’t forget the minders use sharp hooks to guide the elephants, which may be humane but certainly does not outwardly appear so.

[kwilco]

10 hours ago, wealthychef said:

I can't believe anyone is negative about this.  It's absolutely quintessential Thailand and is fabulous from my perspective.  If you hate this you are in the wrong damned country for sure.  

So animal abuse is quintessentially Thai?

[spidermike007]

15 hours ago, Muhendis said:

Tourism down from China? 

China has record unemployment at the moment and looks to be heading into a recession. So no money for holidays in Thailand.

Never mind. Get some police to ride around on elephants. That should fix it.

 

I think the entire world is cascading towards a major correction. The economy and real estate market worldwide are so overblown, so over inflated. Just wait. It is going to be quite a ride. 

[wealthychef]

8 hours ago, off road pat said:

Hm,..So we have to like what you like, or we are the wrong people in the wrong country,...!?

 

Yeah, maybe I went a bit over the top with the last bit there.  Haha fair point!  

[wealthychef]

5 hours ago, kwilco said:

So animal abuse is quintessentially Thai?

 

If you mean holding animals captive for our enjoyment, I would say it's quintessentially part of the project we ironically call "civilization."  People enslave cats and dogs all over the world, breeding them into barely functioning little monsters that wouldn't survive a minute in nature

[kwilco]

5 minutes ago, wealthychef said:

 

If you mean holding animals captive for our enjoyment, I would say it's quintessentially part of the project we ironically call "civilization."  People enslave cats and dogs all over the world, breeding them into barely functioning little monsters that wouldn't survive a minute in nature

That's just one long oxymoron.

As humans progress they learn by building on the knowledge of others - "civilisation" as you choose to call it is not sr=tatic, when it comes to welfare of elephants we now know better.

 

Whilst claiming what is sauce for the goose or gander, we also know how to differentiate between captive and wild animals and what is in their best interests - perhaps you have been left bhind?

[kiwikeith]

20 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Hub of gimmicks.

This might be a good thing for tourism,the elephants will be well fed, perhaps tourists buy bananas for them making it a cheap mode of transport, perhaps they can attach smart cameras to them making them the natural alternative to the smart BMW'S

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, kiwikeith said:

This might be a good thing for tourism,the elephants will be well fed, perhaps tourists buy bananas for them making it a cheap mode of transport, perhaps they can attach smart cameras to them making them the natural alternative to the smart BMW'S

Some states in America the police rides horses... it doesn't compel me to go visit.

[pelagicpete]

This is one of those rare ideas that seem odd, but turn out to be genius.

Tourists will love the idea, and elephants now are endangered because there is not enough work to sustain them. This therefore answers both problems.

There is more cruelty to humans, children and the old folk, than ever there was to elephants and animals in general.

It would be great to see the remaining elephants on patrol all over Pattaya and surrounding areas, this is very sustainable promotion of Thailand.

[kwilco]

On 10/24/2023 at 12:49 AM, Muhendis said:

Tourism down from China? 

China has record unemployment at the moment and looks to be heading into a recession. So no money for holidays in Thailand.

Never mind. Get some police to ride around on elephants. That should fix it.

 

China has 1.4 billion people - i'm sure that 2 10 to 20 million will still find the money and time to go to Thailand

[kwilco]

On 10/25/2023 at 4:49 AM, pelagicpete said:

elephants now are endangered because there is not enough work to sustain them.

What a bizarre thing to say - Elephants don't work by nature they are ca[ptive wild animals. 

Protestant red-necks ork.

[Snig27]

On 10/24/2023 at 11:56 AM, 10baht said:

By people you mean Euro-liberals?

 

No, many, many Thais are very strongly against this. Why would you think animal welfare is just a ‘Euro-liberal’ position?

 

Using this topic as an excuse to flout your grumpy old man intolerance I see. 

[Bepah umayun]

This will make a huge difference, I guess.

[kwilco]

They are probably breaking sone laws.

They have been trying to get elephants of the streets for the last 20 years or so.

Where are these animals kept? Who looks after them

Where did they come from?

How long have the officers been training?

Are the elephants trained to be on crowds and traffic?

Isn't this a conflict of interests...the police are meant to be enforcing animal welfare laws.

All we need now is for one to go bezerk or be hit by a car....or triple someone