Elephants Rounded Up

[Buff-horns]

City Hall and Tourist Police round-up elephants around Pattaya.

Pattaya City Hall in conjunction with Pattaya’s Tourist Police Division conducted an early evening operation on Sunday night in response to complaints from tourists, business owners and residents concerning the ever expanding elephant population here in Pattaya. The operation staging area was Pattaya City Hall where instructions were given to round-up the elephant masters and their elephants. Instead of simply fining the masters and sending them on their way, the animals were actually confiscated by the City and sent to the Pattaya Elephant Village. One baby elephant was even transported to the village on the back of a baht bus. The village will charge the masters 300 Baht per day to house and feed their elephant which must be paid back in full before they can collect the elephant which will then be transferred to the nearby Kow Keow Zoo should they not pay outstanding boarding and food costs. It is hoped that this will not be a one-off operation and will be conducted on a regular basis so Pattaya’s streets can be cleared of these potentially deadly animals.

pattayacitynews.com

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good to see the poor beasts sent somewhere out of town .

[COBBER]

Somehow i dont think this is the last we will hear of this. The elephant handlers and the police have had a running battle for more than a year now and we still see plenty of elephants roaming the streets.

[Mighty Mouse]

It's been a jumbo size headache for the authorities for some time, but to their credit they stopped most of the children selling lollies, got rid ofmany of the photographers with snakes and monkeys, and stopped the cigarette sellers too.

Maybe, just maybe, we will now be able to sit and enjoy a quiet drink without being constantly hassled by vendors.

[cobra]

It's been a jumbo size headache for the authorities for some time, but to their credit they stopped most of the children selling lollies, got rid ofmany of the photographers with snakes and monkeys, and stopped the cigarette sellers too.

Maybe, just maybe, we will now be able to sit and enjoy a quiet drink without being constantly hassled by vendors.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That would be nice, but I think the beach vendors are licensed, so the the trinket, tattoo and food vendors are always out in force on the beach.

[Mighty Mouse]

That would be nice, but I think the beach vendors are licensed, so the the trinket, tattoo and food vendors are always out in force on the beach. 

I was referring to the night time street vendors in and around the bar areas.

I don't mind the beach vendors. I usually buy something from them.

[Galong]

The way elephants are treated in Thailand is downright shameful. I've personally witnessed mahouts beating the crap out of elephant on several ocassions. I've seen baby elephants beaten too.

The problem is supply and demand. Uneducated tourists who pay vendors or animal vendors are a big part of the problem. I recently saw a tourist give an a*&hole with a baby gibbon 500 Baht for a photo! That's more than a day's wages for a Thai who actually works!!!

Exploiting elephants is pathetic. Elephant trekking is NOT helping the elephants, it's helping the business men and mahouts.

[kurgen]

shoot all elephants ,problem solved

[TizMe]

I've noticed that there seems to be more and more elle's around Jomtien these days (nights).

[Galong]

shoot all elephants ,problem solved

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's not the answer, though it might be more compassionate than what some elephants have to endure.

Some could probably be re-introduced to the wild.

It should be illegal to breed captive elephants.

Shooting the mahouts would solve the problem in my less than humble opinion.

[kurgen]

The easiest way to make an elephant wild is to kick it in the nuts

[COBBER]

The way elephants are treated in Thailand is downright shameful.  I've personally witnessed mahouts beating the crap out of elephant on several ocassions.  I've seen baby elephants beaten too.

The problem is supply and demand.  Uneducated tourists who pay vendors or animal vendors are a big part of the problem.  I recently saw a tourist give an a*&hole with a baby gibbon 500 Baht for a photo!  That's more than a day's wages for a Thai who actually works!!!

Exploiting elephants is pathetic.  Elephant trekking is NOT helping the elephants, it's helping the business men and mahouts.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Exactly right. Elephants will remain around the streets as long as there are tourists willing to pay to make this a lucrative business for the handlers.

[Galong]

The easiest way to make an elephant wild is to kick it in the nuts

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good one! You almost made me blow Phuket Vegetarian Festival food out of my nose!!

[mrbojangles]

It's been a jumbo size headache for the authorities for some time, but to their credit they stopped most of the children selling lollies, got rid ofmany of the photographers with snakes and monkeys, and stopped the cigarette sellers too.

Maybe, just maybe, we will now be able to sit and enjoy a quiet drink without being constantly hassled by vendors.

I hope so too

That would be nice, but I think the beach vendors are licensed, so the the trinket, tattoo and food vendors are always out in force on the beach. 

Don't think that's right cobra. Obviously the deck chair brigade are licensed but i don't think the rest are (maybe the Beach Massage/Pedicure/Manicure lot are?). They usually run a mile when the Police come near by. Although, the Police on Pattaya beach don't seem to enforce as much as Jomtien Beach.

The way elephants are treated in Thailand is downright shameful.  I've personally witnessed mahouts beating the crap out of elephant on several ocassions.  I've seen baby elephants beaten too.

The problem is supply and demand.  Uneducated tourists who pay vendors or animal vendors are a big part of the problem.  I recently saw a tourist give an a*&hole with a baby gibbon 500 Baht for a photo!  That's more than a day's wages for a Thai who actually works!!!

Exploiting elephants is pathetic.  Elephant trekking is NOT helping the elephants, it's helping the business men and mahouts.

I 100% concur, Galong. The only thing that worries me, is what happens to the Mahouts after they have lost all of their Elephants and no longer make a living? They'll probably end up the same as the Guys on Motorbikes who go round robbing people

[wilko]

shoot all elephants ,problem solved

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's not the answer, though it might be more compassionate than what some elephants have to endure.

Some could probably be re-introduced to the wild.

It should be illegal to breed captive elephants.

Shooting the mahouts would solve the problem in my less than humble opinion.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As most elephants do not come from the wild re-introduction is not possible, many would be unable to survive...

Furthermore, to introduce elephants to the wild you need the space and unfortunately that is rapidly disappearing....

There should be a boycott of all animal "beggars" by tourists....

I get so annoyed when I see people feeding these animals, completely oblivious to their plight.

I'm told that the elephants are hired by the touts from the owners, so it shouldn't be too difficult to stop this.

There is also I'm told there's a hotline where you can report any elephants in town, but I haven't a clue what the number is...so maybe not that "hot" then?

There is an inordinate amount of needless animal cruelty in Thailand and it is largely financed by us unthinking tourists, visitors and expats who pursist in financing it. If you see an ananimal on the street, feeding it may be a natural response, especially if it looks particularly ragged but in the long run the best thing to do is NOT feed oiit and don't give any money...the trade will then die away.

I think a mass boycott is needed - perhghaps a campaign by the local papers/TV etc, or hand out some flyers?

[Simbo]

shoot all elephants ,problem solved

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's not the answer, though it might be more compassionate than what some elephants have to endure.

Some could probably be re-introduced to the wild.

It should be illegal to breed captive elephants.

Shooting the mahouts would solve the problem in my less than humble opinion.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As most elephants do not come from the wild re-introduction is not possible, many would be unable to survive...

Furthermore, to introduce elephants to the wild you need the space and unfortunately that is rapidly disappearing....

There should be a boycott of all animal "beggars" by tourists....

I get so annoyed when I see people feeding these animals, completely oblivious to their plight.

I'm told that the elephants are hired by the touts from the owners, so it shouldn't be too difficult to stop this.

There is also I'm told there's a hotline where you can report any elephants in town, but I haven't a clue what the number is...so maybe not that "hot" then?

There is an inordinate amount of needless animal cruelty in Thailand and it is largely financed by us unthinking tourists, visitors and expats who pursist in financing it. If you see an ananimal on the street, feeding it may be a natural response, especially if it looks particularly ragged but in the long run the best thing to do is NOT feed oiit and don't give any money...the trade will then die away.

I think a mass boycott is needed - perhghaps a campaign by the local papers/TV etc, or hand out some flyers?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is a number, but I think it's a trunk call.

[kerryk]

40,000 people dead and a couple of million homeless after the earthquake. The Gulf coast of America devastated. Bird flu just about to make the jump to humans and kill 10 million. And you are worried about elephants! Farangs amaze me. They always have and they always will. I would write more but I am late for the cock fight and I got my money on a really hot rooster.

[Mighty Mouse]

40,000 people dead and a couple of million homeless after the earthquake.  The Gulf coast of America devastated.  Bird flu just about to make the jump to humans and kill 10 million.  And you are worried about elephants!  Farangs amaze me.  They always have and they always will.  I would write more but I am late for the cock fight and I got my money on a really hot rooster.

Your comparisons are way off track.

I suppose you also support the poachers in Africa who kill elephants for a couple of tusks.

How will you feel when elephants are extinct?

[wilko]

There is a number, but I think it's a trunk call.

Oh, Tusk! Tusk!...... - .......SIMBO????...isn't that an el...oh well, never mind.

[wilko]

40,000 people dead and a couple of million homeless after the earthquake.  The Gulf coast of America devastated.  Bird flu just about to make the jump to humans and kill 10 million.  And you are worried about elephants!  Farangs amaze me.  They always have and they always will.  I would write more but I am late for the cock fight and I got my money on a really hot rooster.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So I take it that you are incapable of dealing with more than one issue at a time then?

[kerryk]

It has been my observation over the years that people who don’t have children take up causes for animals. I think the reason for this is they don’t have enough problems of their own to deal with so they need something to do. It has also been my observation that anyone who works with elephants or other large animals sees very little elephant abuse (they know the procedures for moving and motivating elephants). I am also very committed to protecting people with the very few assets at world disposal before protecting animals. I have seen stray dogs fed before starving children are fed. If it was up to me I would put a tax on all pet food and donate the results to starving children. If one makes a decision to begin charitable acts such as helping animals it boggles my mind that charity to ones own species would not come first.

I have also seen very few people raised on a working farm or ranch get involved with animal charity.

I had a dog with only three good legs and blind in one eye. I was offered $10,000.00 for the dog and I didn’t sell him. He rounded up 50 head of dairy cattle every morning and every evening and never left a stray. He was the best dog the family ever had. The dog never ate, though the food was out for him, until every cow was in the milking barn.

But he was a dog. I never kissed him or cuddled him or let him sleep in the house on cold nights. Me and the dog had a deal. He knew what the deal was and I knew what the deal was. I knew he was a dog and he knew he was a dog.

Every time we got a new cow the dog would introduce himself to the cow by viciously attacking the animal. Biting the cow repeatedly till there was blood all over the place and the cow in a state of terror.

The dog did this so when he herded the cows they would move at his will and move quickly.

One day a lady from the city was at the farm when a new cow was being introduced to the herd. She complained bitterly that I stop the dog from killing the cow. I just laughed and told her to mind her own business.

I feel about the same way when I hear most of the stories about Elephant abuse.

[wilko]

You seem incredibly confused here about issues of culture, cruelty, and conservation....

Personal observations whilst fun are only one in several million and therefore not really representative of anything....let alone an overall picture.

Edited October 14, 2005 by wilko