Next Time You Think It Is Okay To Have Elephants Walking On The Streets...

[joopjip]

I think many people do not know what it takes to take a baby elephant away from his mother to work on the streets or in shows..I think you have to be mental to ever support these sons of ******* ...Stop feeding elephants on the streets or go see elephants shows. It is pretty mental in my opinion to ever think animals are there to entertain human beings. Many baby elephants die because of this cruel action just so farang tourists can go see a stupid 15-min show.

[AceCafe]

And your solution is what, pray tell? Since the ban on harvesting teak in Thailand there has been a huge increase in the number of unemployed Elephants in this country, and the Forest Industry Organisation and all other Elephant sanctuaries cannot possibly hope to care for them all. Don't forget that one Elephant has to provide for a mahout and his family...... a lot of mouths to feed in a family where for possibly generations the only life they have known is working Elephants.

As for training methods for your "Elephants on the streets or in shows"........... they are exactly the same throughout Asia for training bona fide working Elephants. Cruel to some western minds maybe but we are talking about a beast of burden here..... a tool to be used to provide an income. Certainly not the same as, say half a dozen semi house-trained Elephants roaming huge paddocks in a wealthy wildlife park, but beggars cannot be choosers.

I do not condone circus type shows but there are some very good Elephant farms, ranches, schools here, including Khun Phairat Chaiyakham's Elephant Village in Pattaya (where I worked some 18 years ago!) which put on informative and yes, entertaining cultural displays. So for me, far better to have Elephant shows where a decent salary could be earned than unemployed beasts begging in the streets.

What's the answer? This country should take more care of a huge part of it's own heritage that one day will be gone forever. Start educating primary school kids about conservation, specifically indiginous (sp) species, and provide a healthy budget for more national parks and government run wildlife centres.

Is it going to happen? Not on our watch.

[Ricardo]

Stop feeding elephants on the streets or go see elephants shows.

Much better to let them starve to death, in the countryside or jungle, where nobody sees or cares ?

Most Thai elephants are now unemployed, thanks to the end of logging, so a well-run elephant-camp might be their last chance, for survival in Thailand. But I do agree about it being degrading begging, for food-handouts, from tourists on-the-streets.

[phetaroi]

Stop feeding elephants on the streets or go see elephants shows.

Much better to let them starve to death, in the countryside or jungle, where nobody sees or cares ?

Most Thai elephants are now unemployed, thanks to the end of logging, so a well-run elephant-camp might be their last chance, for survival in Thailand. But I do agree about it being degrading begging, for food-handouts, from tourists on-the-streets.

I think you've hit the nail on the head. Like many such poster's, joopjip sees a complex situation as a simple problem. It is rare to find people who believe elephants should be wandering around Thailand, but the rest of the situation is not as simple. And, it's an historical issue, as well. Joopjip wants the whole world to be modern and bland.

[spacefruit]

The sentiment that elephants should not be encouraged to beg in city streets is one I fully support.

The OP was over dramatic but I also know from first hand experience here in Thailand that there are very few people here with ANY empathy for animals. For heaven's sake even Emporium had a baby elephant in a pen all day in the sun during a "promotion". (I say even as I hear it is owned by western educated people who might have known better).

It is also true that the traditional work, as well as the habitat is fast disappearing and there is no longer a place for any elephants to live naturally.

An elephant in Thailand also supports a lot of humans, however it works. So persuading the handlers to change lifestyles has to be made attractive.

Its a can of worms, and often attracts ignorant liberals as well as careless fascists from all sides of the argument.

Neither help the elephants.

I can, by not feeding them on the streets.

[rafval]

I would ban the guys that are with them, they are very short tempered and attack farang with those mini pick axes they carry, Ive seen many nasty beatings and bloodied farang thanks to their precious egos

[phetaroi]

I would ban the guys that are with them, they are very short tempered and attack farang with those mini pick axes they carry, Ive seen many nasty beatings and bloodied farang thanks to their precious egos

Under what circumstances?

[RickBradford]

I have also felt threatened by the elephant beggars, they are the most persistent and aggressive nuisances I have met (and this on several occasions inside a street-side restaurant).

You feel like giving them a piece of your mind, but it's best to just repeat 'mai khrap, mai khrap' when they shove that bag of sugarcane under your nose. Careful with that axe, Somchai.....

[MILT]

I think many people do not know what it takes to take a baby elephant away from his mother to work on the streets or in shows..I think you have to be mental to ever support these sons of ******* ...Stop feeding elephants on the streets or go see elephants shows. It is pretty mental in my opinion to ever think animals are there to entertain human beings. Many baby elephants die because of this cruel action just so farang tourists can go see a stupid 15-min show.

First just let me say that I know what it takes and what happens when the Mahout wants to seperate the baby from the mom. As I would agree about the elephants situation here in Thailand. Married to a owner of a well respected elephant camp in Chiangmai for the past 15 years I have personal accurate knowledge on this subject. There are several reasons for seperating the mom and baby non of which you mentioned in your blog. The Thai elephant has been domesticated for almost 2,000 years. The elephants were used mostly for logging contracts in Thailand and Burma. The street elephants that you see in Bangkok and Chiangmai at night are own by very powerful people and it is a money making venture. The owners of these elephants do not care about the elephants whatsoever. Most elephant camps do not own thier elephants. They rent them. The owners have no say in the handling and whatever goes on with the elephants. My wifes camp holds a zero tolerance for any kind of abuse. A well run elephant camp does a great service to the employment of the mahout and keeps the elephant off the streets and out of the logging business. All the young calves at my wifes camp are trained by the Govt. elephant training center in lampang. You say "Many elephants die so that farang tourist can go see a stupid 15 min. elephant show" is grossly inaccurate discription as to why the mom and baby are seperated. It is obvious you have no idea of what you are writing about and should at the very least do some research on this subject before you write negative critic on this subject. In the 15 years we have been opened we have been graced with 12 baby elephants with the latest one birthed 4 days ago. None have died and the babys that have been properly trained are doing great and living a un-abusive life with all the food they can eat along with regular medical check ups. The images you have posted is what is called a "Pajan" which is done by the Karen Hilltribe mahouts. I've seen it and it is very very unpleasant. Lampang does not train in this way. At the end of the day the baby elephant you posted most likely didn't die and whether you believe me or not, Mahouts love their elephants and especially calves. Next time do your research and not follow the false ideas and create negative images of elephant camps

[MILT]

I would ban the guys that are with them, they are very short tempered and attack farang with those mini pick axes they carry, Ive seen many nasty beatings and bloodied farang thanks to their precious egos

Under what circumstances?

Living here in Chiangmai for the past 15 years I just don't believe you.

[bkkjames]

Never seen an angry Mahout but once had an elephant grab me by the stones when I wasn't looking. Thankfully, no pictures.

Edited October 12, 2009 by bkkjames