American Tourists Leap 10 Feet Off an Out-of-Control Elephant in Thailand [Video]

[loong]

42 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

I couldn't stop laughing when reading it....  what about the required insurance or that's no longer a requirement

 

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help aid Siri and Martin’s journey towards recovery.

You actually find people suffering serious injuries funny?!

You are one sick individual!

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, bob smith said:

play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

 

I thought they had banned this bs now anyway??

Income for impoverished Thais.. it will never stop 

[HappyExpat57]

Two mistakes:

 

1. Riding an elephant.

2. Riding an elephant when you are over the age of 20.

 

Sum num na.

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, Millcx said:

No mention of insurance cover by the elephant ride company … But one Danish guy made headlines about Thailand top place to visit … In the world 555555 … Give up TAT

Zero... you ride at your discretion, but you won't find that posted at the ticket office.

Just the ride price.

[n00dle]

Just now, hotchilli said:

Income for impoverished Thais.. it will never stop 

then there is the issue that elephants are bloody expensive to support. In many cases they need to be put to work to help cover costs.

the only way to stop the problem is to make every elephant a ward of the state and provide sanctuaries where they can exist in peace.

[giddyup]

They've been riding donkeys on the beach at Brighton since 1945, only banned it last year. Seems abusing the poor old donkey previously was OK. As the song says "before you accuse me take a look at yourself"

[mamypoko]

C_gna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, and jumping off of a pissed off pachydermerm 

[Jonathan Swift]

4 hours ago, bob smith said:

play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

 

I thought they had banned this bs now anyway??

So happy to know a person who never in his life made a bad decision even in hindsight. Be careful you don't fall off your high horse and end up like these people. 

[Lemsta69]

26 minutes ago, n00dle said:

Right. lets remember that next time you encounter misfortune, perhaps falling off a hooker. Should have known better, yeah uh.  

because a lifetime of health issues is just compensation for a lapse in judgement. 

 

lapse in judgement? you mean "willful ignorance", right? 

[chilli42]

2 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

Elephant riding is an experience I do not care to repeat

 

Nice friends though arranging a proper medevac  

 

I have not seen an actual "travel insurance" policy that would cover it

 

though I heard they exist.

Most proper vacation/short term insurance companies offer medevac as 

a standard option (local Thailand insurance companies).  I have gone on two modestly adventurous holidays in the past year.  The tour operators would not accept your booking unless you had medevac insurance. All said though, I would not be eager to put the policy to the test.  There is a huge price difference between the local medevac insurance policy and that purchased in the USA

[BadSpottedDog]

Karma. Who doesn't do research before participating in activities!? Just a few simple google searches would have revealed that it's not only dangerous for people to ride elephants, it's extreme cruelty to the elephant. Remember the tourist that was gored to death in front of his daughter, on Samui several years back?
And let's not even talk about the extreme cruelty elephants endure during the "elephant crush" done when they're younger, to break their spirits. It's horrible. No wonder the elephant reacted badly to a whip!
 

[AAArdvark]

How many people get injured riding a jet ski, motor bike, sky dive, drowned or get an STD?  Just how many elephant ride injuries are there?  Is riding an elephant more abusive than riding a horse?

Everything in proportion. 

[Lemsta69]

20 minutes ago, loong said:

You actually find people suffering serious injuries funny?!

You are one sick individual!

 

I think it's 'ken hilarious. Did he bother to look K. Chaang in the eye and ask him/her if they were happy about being his beast of burden?

 

I've only been up close and personal with a Chaang once in my life, many moons ago on Sexy Soi Six. The mahouts forced a small Chaang to come up to tourists sitting in the bars and ask them for 20 baht to feed the poor thing some potatoes or whatever the hell was in the little plastic bag.

 

I looked into it's eye and it looked sad and lonesome. Why would you be happy if some greasy peasant was jabbing you behind the ear with a sharp metal stick and making you dance for stoopid hoomans?

 

I spoke to the Chaang and said sorry that you are not free but I can't do anything to help you or I'll be in chains like you so please eat the little bag of potatoes and don't go rogue on me 😂

 

 

[csmith]

But what about snakes?

[csmith]

31 minutes ago, giddyup said:

They've been riding donkeys on the beach at Brighton since 1945, only banned it last year. Seems abusing the poor old donkey previously was OK. As the song says "before you accuse me take a look at yourself"

Oh they have banned donkey rides on UK beaches … I didn't know that … what is happening to the World?

 

… also … what song?

[giddyup]

12 minutes ago, csmith said:

Oh they have banned donkey rides on UK beaches … I didn't know that … what is happening to the World?

 

… also … what song?

Eric Clapton

[BadSpottedDog]

31 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

How many people get injured riding a jet ski, motor bike, sky dive, drowned or get an STD?  Just how many elephant ride injuries are there?  Is riding an elephant more abusive than riding a horse?

Everything in proportion. 

Yes. It is WAY more abusive. Look up the videos of "elephant crush" on youtube. It will make you sick what they do to baby elephants to "crush their spirits" in order to "tame" them. Completely different than training a horse. Not same same at all.

[pookett]

Did one of these rides with the very keen kiddies many years ago, against my better judgement.

On that day, this particular elephant was obviously not happy and the mahoot was trying to drive it on.

 

We told him to RTB, he was reluctant until I said don't worry, I won't ask for refund. On turning the elephant back homeward it calmed down completely and happily headed back home.

 

On both principal and experience, never again.

[TheFishman1]

20 hour medevac I can only imagine what the cost of that would be TIT

[brianthainess]

Well It aint on my bucket list, I live very near one of these 'Camps', it looks like the most uncomfortable back breaking rides I can possibly think of. 

[RayOday]

3 hours ago, John Drake said:

Don't ride elephants, pet tigers, or feed the bears. You're asking for it.

And as a Chinese woman did a few years ago, stick her face Infront of a venomous snack. Snake bitten in the face. 

[BritScot]

2 hours ago, giddyup said:

Broken back and shattered pelvis? Did the elephant stomp on him? Thought maybe a sprained ankle from 10 ft.

Watch the video. Elephant used its trunk crushing him.

[BritScot]

3 hours ago, John Drake said:

Don't ride elephants, pet tigers, or feed the bears. You're asking for it.

Rode elephants twice even sitting where the mahout sits "an experience" elephants are very dangerous animals when upset, angry or in Musk. I would not ride again, biggest regret is doing the tiger temple thing: I new it was wrong but didn't realise how bad the industry was. Never been close to a bear.... we all make mistakes and I've made many.

[giddyup]

1 hour ago, n00dle said:

as the video story clearly establishes, yes the elphant stopmed on him and beat him with it's trunk after he jumped. 

Is there actual footage of that? The video I saw went black after they jumped.

[happydreamer]

In this day in age I just don't understand why people are fascinated with riding elephants....or messing with wildlife in general...petting tigers, kissing / handling snakes, eating bugs.  Just dumb

[Dave0206]

I've done elephant ride with my son 5 @ the time in jodhpur up slippery path with 2ft wall up to a Fort I was terrified. 

What I would never in a million years do is @ nong nooch public used to volunteer for elephant to " massage them whilst lying on the ground " I mean what could possibly go wrong 🤔 

[Bim Smith]

Hope the elephant is OK. 

[SingAPorn]

She looks hot !!...in heat... as the weather is getting hotter.

[2peteok]

I think we all know wild animals should be treated as such.  Going for a joy ride is totally irresponsible, and I for one have zero empathy for them. GRRR

[n00dle]

3 hours ago, Lemsta69 said:

willful ignorance

 

plenty of that around, innit?