Tourists Warned Not To Feed Bangkok's Street Elephants

[pattayabuggy]

Of course the police and elephant handlers will work together and share the loot. Thailand disgust me, more and more I only feel disgust for this blot on the planet.

[peecee]

Tourists in Bangkok are being warned not to buy food for street elephants or risk a 10,000 baht (310 dollars) fine in the latest clampdown on begging by owners of the animals.

So the authorities are trying to once again prove that they are morons. Good one.

Ps. How about they get the police to grab the elephants and the handlers that are trying to get the tourist to get a 10k fine feed the elephant?

Call BMA hotline 1555 and let them know where u have seen the elephant, also call the police, inform them that u have seen an elephant AND that u already informed the authorities who provided that servicenumber 1555 to take steps against the one who take the elephant to the city. Take photo of the stupid tourist who feed the elephant. Everyone who get some information should be aware of that problem. So there are no excuses if someone get caught.

Just like Gib; the tourists are threatened with posters all over the rock not to feed the apes. They then get their bananas from the fruit sellers located right under the signs and off they go to get their snaps!

[Thunder26]

My My, the BIB must be getting desperate for cash....getting really creactive in ways to increase their coffers...

But could someone please explain HTF an elephant gets TB from car fumes and narrow streets ??......superb butchery of the English language once again....

Oh, come on! BIB can make so much money from the crazy traffic! if I were a road policeman I would've been a millionaire punishing the riders without helmets, proper shoes or riding on red lights!!! Car drivers as well, I would have made money on them who drive too fast or on red lights, it is so common here. Police has so many opportunities to make money that the elephant issue sounds as a joke to be a making money stimulus.

Edited July 13, 2010 by Thunder26

[Jirapa]

Can't be to hard to find an elephant in the city so long as it's not disguised as a grey pickup truck or a clown. All the elephants I've ever seen on the town and city streets of Thailand have always looked very well fed and healthy. How the authorities can relate this activity to begging is beyond me as paying 20B for a bag of bananas or sugar cane to feed to the elephant is a purchase and up to you to either eat them yourself or give them to the elephant. In many countries elephants are used in the logging trade and have a much harder life than the street elephants of Bangkok who's job is to be fed.<div><br></div><div>Only reason I can see for banning the practice is the fact a 1.5 tonne wild animal is walking the streets guided by 2 x 60 kilos of human flesh and bones which is a scary thought should the elephant loose it and go AWOL.</div>

[Valdezugar]

Yes, i agree 100%. The cop who dont take action is to be fined as well. at least in serious cases.

in may area they never do what they should do. i go by motorbike and wear the helmet rarely. i never got stopped. once or twice in a year they have the helmet control day, there u have to be careful, but after that: business as usual, none cares.

Holy cr_ap! If the Thai authorities start enforcing the law; where will we all move to? Nigeria?

[personchester]

People...and tourists...luv elephants. Now we can get a 10000baht fine for helping keep them alive. That sucks!

BSJ ... please read the full posting.

[Deeral]

Can't be to hard to find an elephant in the city so long as it's not disguised as a grey pickup truck or a clown. All the elephants I've ever seen on the town and city streets of Thailand have always looked very well fed and healthy. How the authorities can relate this activity to begging is beyond me as paying 20B for a bag of bananas or sugar cane to feed to the elephant is a purchase and up to you to either eat them yourself or give them to the elephant. In many countries elephants are used in the logging trade and have a much harder life than the street elephants of Bangkok who's job is to be fed.<div><br></div><div>Only reason I can see for banning the practice is the fact a 1.5 tonne wild animal is walking the streets guided by 2 x 60 kilos of human flesh and bones which is a scary thought should the elephant loose it and go AWOL.</div>

Can you tell us on what information or authority you are basing your clean bill of health for these street elephants?

[hansnl]

As in any police force in the world the core business is definitely not solving crime, so it seems.

More and more the core business is giving tickets for anything imaginable and generating fines.

Generating fines from tourists is much more easier as getting a fine from an elephant handler.

Also, generally there are less elephants roaming the streets in Bangkok as tourists.

Well, what else can be said.

[pattayabuggy]

My My, the BIB must be getting desperate for cash....getting really creactive in ways to increase their coffers...

But could someone please explain HTF an elephant gets TB from car fumes and narrow streets ??......superb butchery of the English language once again....

Oh, come on! BIB can make so much money from the crazy traffic! if I were a road policeman I would've been a millionaire punishing the riders without helmets, proper shoes or riding on red lights!!! Car drivers as well, I would have made money on them who drive too fast or on red lights, it is so common here. Police has so many opportunities to make money that the elephant issue sounds as a joke to be a making money stimulus.

Can't get blood out of a stone, how many Thai motorcyclists could pay a 10,000B fine? 

Also if a Thai is driving an expensive car, the police are scared because maybe this is an influential person.

Tourists are an easy target, simple as that. Brains are really up their arse, when the tourist industry is already so bad. Thailand fully deserves to have no toursits at all, even then they will not accept it's their fault, it will all be the nasty Ferangs fault!

[AyG]

This is one reason why elephants should not be on Bangkok's streets:

And that one reason is enough for me.

[pattayabuggy]

This is one reason why elephants should not be on Bangkok's streets:

And that one reason is enough for me.

Very sad, I hope the elephant was recovered and OK.

[mrpositive]

I would like to say this about it.

Some people are quick to comment.. "This is Thailand" when in dismay at some of the problems encountered here.

Some people aren't so ready to notice the steps being taken in Thailand to have some kind of 'normalcy' in 'global' terms.

This is a great win. One of many. There will to continue to be more wins great and small while Thailand climbs from the grips of corruption, and political, economic and social growing pains.

Small wins deserve great praise in my view.

Meanwhile, Thailand goes on doing great things in science, sport, government, industry, in schools, at home, in the farms and on the streets.

Shall we look at the clouds, or the sky?

I always look forward to seeing more positive Thai benchmarks, contributing to modern, realistic, successful and culturally proud foundations for this great nation.

They're not hard to find if you look. Easier still if we digest less of the negative 'media and rant' pie.

Thumbs up on this one.

Cheers.

[rayw]

I have ALWAYS refused to buy and feed food for street AND beach elephants. This only encourages this terrible and cruel treatment of these beautiful creatures just to appease stupid tourists who seem to know no better, it really sickens me. STOP feeding these creatures on the streets and beaches and get bloody real and caring about these and other creatures. Parks and jungles is where they live so let them live in peace and start caring about our world and its inhabitants a little more hmm !!! It is for the same reason I absolutely hate most zoos and only tolerate truly open zoos where the animals can almost live naturally and are cared for well. Good on the Thai authorities for caring to try and do something about this awful problem. I am sometimes bloody ashamed to be a human being when I see some of what man does to his world and its creatures.

[BadBoyBubby]

I would like to say this about it.

Some people are quick to comment.. "This is Thailand" when in dismay at some of the problems encountered here.

Some people aren't so ready to notice the steps being taken in Thailand to have some kind of 'normalcy' in 'global' terms.

This is a great win. One of many. There will to continue to be more wins great and small while Thailand climbs from the grips of corruption, and political, economic and social growing pains.

Small wins deserve great praise in my view.

Meanwhile, Thailand goes on doing great things in science, sport, government, industry, in schools, at home, in the farms and on the streets.

Shall we look at the clouds, or the sky?

I always look forward to seeing more positive Thai benchmarks, contributing to modern, realistic, successful and culturally proud foundations for this great nation.

They're not hard to find if you look. Easier still if we digest less of the negative 'media and rant' pie.

Thumbs up on this one.

Cheers.

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

[crazyswede]

I never forget when BiB was chasing a baby Chang in Pattaya , every one was helping , thai´s and falang and baby chang ended up in a bar witch closed the same second chang went inside! 555

But okay i think they have a much better life in the jungle .... really!

[dippyrick]

About time too.(i only hope this is enforced)

This cruel,obscene,exploitation of South East Asia's finest animal,has been going on far too long.

I often feel for these poor creatures,especially the babies,seperated from their mothers and forced too walk hot,alien,congested,tarmac/concrete roads,all day/night.

Sad for the animals and the very wrongest education for the Thai populace.

Not remotely cute.

Just plain CRUEL.

Edited July 13, 2010 by dippyrick

[zappalot]

All the elephants I've ever seen on the town and city streets of Thailand have always looked very well fed and healthy..</div>

this is crap at all.

get a veterinarian along with u who know some stuff about elephants and examine some of these elephants u think they r fed well and healthy.

or go to the www.elephantnaturepark.org and ask them in what extremly bad condition they arrive when they got it managed to buy free such a sad creature from the city where stupid people want to keep and feed them.

its usually better to get some information first before writing down something without any background knowledge...

[mufcsamui]

What a joke, so the the BIB let the handler sneak by the police box and watch for unsuspecting tourists buying food the elephant, then they pounce with a document in hand and rant on about the serious offence they have just comitted and explain that as its a first offence its only 2000bt, nice little earner all night long. Thailand is sure becoming anti-tourist.

[def2708]

People...and tourists...luv elephants. Now we can get a 10000baht fine for helping keep them alive. That sucks!

if you really love elephants u should do your part to protect them and ensure that they can live where they belong to.

There are parks in Thailand where they can live in a naturally perfect environment and not on streets where they suffer from many diseases, often treated badly.

Information is all: elephants back to nature

[surangw]

how about a don't feed the pigeons rule next, or would that put all the BIB's mothers out of work with their little bags of corn?

[skippybangkok]

Yep, its pretty hard to slip an elephant past every road intersection manned by at least one cop.

[cardholder]

Gambling is illegal, and a recent thread started by Cardholder was closed for this very reason.

Feeding elephants on Bangkok streets is also illegal, so will the mods close this thread too?

I think not. Gambling is apparently a softer target.

Let me say this about feeding elephants:-

If any one offers you a bag of bananas (for the purpose of chang feeding) tell them to stick them up their ar5e and advise them to return the wonderful beast to the wild. That is where they belong.

Elephants DO NOT belong on the streets of Bangkok, Pattaya or Prakhonchai - don't let the greedy b4stard handlers (they are not Mahout) turn the streets into a circus.

[volatilekoala]

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Tourists in Bangkok are being warned not to buy food for street elephants or risk a 10,000 baht (310 dollars) fine in the latest clampdown on begging by owners of the animals.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-07-13

What about a clampdown on forced begging of children controlled by gangs? I'd say it's a much bigger problem...

[Deeral]

I would like to say this about it.

Some people are quick to comment.. "This is Thailand" when in dismay at some of the problems encountered here.

Some people aren't so ready to notice the steps being taken in Thailand to have some kind of 'normalcy' in 'global' terms.

This is a great win. One of many. There will to continue to be more wins great and small while Thailand climbs from the grips of corruption, and political, economic and social growing pains.

Small wins deserve great praise in my view.

Meanwhile, Thailand goes on doing great things in science, sport, government, industry, in schools, at home, in the farms and on the streets.

Shall we look at the clouds, or the sky?

I always look forward to seeing more positive Thai benchmarks, contributing to modern, realistic, successful and culturally proud foundations for this great nation.

They're not hard to find if you look. Easier still if we digest less of the negative 'media and rant' pie.

Thumbs up on this one.

Cheers.

Come back in a month and tell us how wonderful this has all been for the elephants

"in science, sport, government, industry, in schools, at home, in the farms and on the streets.

" - I'd like you to list a few of these too while you're at it.

[invex]

All the elephants I've ever seen on the town and city streets of Thailand have always looked very well fed and healthy.

Come on man, are you serious? So many articles about the mistreatment of the elephants. Even in foreign countries when tourists discovered long steel nails in the neck of some elephants (in Chiang Mai) to keep them calm. Blood came out of the fresh wounds and pictures of that were released in many foreign countries. Recent in City Life magazine; how cruel it is that the elephants have to walk on hot concrete streets (they burn their feet). 3 pages + and the cover about their suffer. Inform yourself better please.

[Deeral]

All the elephants I've ever seen on the town and city streets of Thailand have always looked very well fed and healthy.

Come on man, are you serious? So many articles about the mistreatment of the elephants. Even in foreign countries when tourists discovered long steel nails in the neck of some elephants (in Chiang Mai) to keep them calm. Blood came out of the fresh wounds and pictures of that were released in many foreign countries. Recent in City Life magazine; how cruel it is that the elephants have to walk on hot concrete streets (they burn their feet). 3 pages + and the cover about their suffer. Inform yourself better please.

Jirapa - before you decide to express such ludicrous views be good enough to do a little research first.

THis thread is still overlooking the fact that these elephants have NOWHERE TO GO - so fine or no fine they will end up back on a street somewhere.

Without a strategy in place to re-locate the pachyderms, the plan is a non-starter and will be put to one side to avoid the idiot who dreamed it up loosing face. - What a fuc_king fiasco!

Edited July 13, 2010 by Deeral

[kuffki]

Bottom line is, the new law is a good idea to protect the animal, however its target and reasoning as always in Thailand has been made to benefit BIB rather then the animal.

Owners will continue to bring giants into the city because BIB need them there to get paid from the tourists.

Owners are well aware that elephant can not be confiscated

Owners are well aware that even if they get fined, they do not really need to pay it and there is nothing BIB will do to collect this money

Owners are well aware that should they be approached by BIB, they can always make a deal to split the profit.

Little like all the GoGo bars. Prostitution is illegal but with monthly donation everything is fine

Or beer advertising is also illegal yet Singha and Chang sponsor all police meetings so they ok to advertise while bars get fined.

Truly amazing Thailand, i must say though it is even more amazing to read this post just days after government wanting to crack down on corruption. Great way to start

[26vinny]

_{Another Tourist scam}

_{Amazing Thailand}

_{Should read}

_{Extorting Thailand Amazing Scam.}

_{Thai police not doing their job again, so lets blame the Farang Same Same comes to mind}

[Fishman1967]

People...and tourists...luv elephants. Now we can get a 10000baht fine for helping keep them alive. That sucks!

It's a clear "cruelty to animals" issue here.. If tourists want to see elephants in Thailand they can at zoos of travel north to the forests and elephant camps. A concrete jungle is not a place for a free roaming elephant, regardless on how much tourists "luv" elephants.

Edited July 13, 2010 by Fishman1967

[luangtom]

I see another means of increasing revenue and still not taking care of an ongoing problem. Imagine that.....