Two Baby Elephants Seized In Phuket

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Two baby elephants seized in Phuket

Phuket Gazette

Baby elephant Popeye plays with a tourist this morning. Officials say he will be reunited with his mother at the elephant conservation camp in Lampang. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

Amnard Soikiew, the director of the Forestry Department’s Protection and Suppression Division in Bangkok, said his office was investigating the land titles for three elephant camps on the hill near Phuket's famed Big Buddha image. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: -- Two baby elephants seized in Phuket today will be sent to an elephant reserve in the Northern Thailand province of Lampang.

Meanwhile, investigators are continuing their probe into whether three elephant camps near Phuket’s Big Buddha image are encroaching on protected forest land.

The transfer of the two baby male elephants – Popeye and Joey – follows officials from Bangkok arriving in Phuket earlier this month to investigate the origins of three baby elephants in Phuket.

This morning, Popeye was seized at the ATV Elephant Camp on the hill to Phuket’s famed Big Buddha image and Joey was taken into custody at an elephant camp near the Laguna complex in Cherng Talay.

Popeye and Joey were found to be the offspring of female elephants seized at the Pang Chang Sai Yok Elephant Park in Kanchanaburi, explained Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) officer Tassanes Petkong.

DNP officers raided the Sai Yok camp in January to investigate the 51 elephants being kept there. “The investigating officers found that the camp did not have the correct documents for 19 elephants,” Mr Tassanes said.

All 19 pachyderms were seized by officials to be handed over to the Thai Elephant Conservation Center (TECC), a state-run enterprise in Lampang.

“The baby elephants [Popeye and Joey] will be reunited with their mothers there,” Mr Tassanes said.

Investigations into the Sai Yok camp led officers to learn that three baby elephants were sent to Phuket.

“Another 10 elephants at the Sai Yok Camp are now being held for investigation,” he added.

Meanwhile, investigations into the legality of the baby elephant at the Phuthai Souvenir Market in Chalong, one of the baby elephants investigated in the February 11 raids, have yet to prove conclusive.

“They have the correct documents for the baby’s mother, but we are still waiting for DNA tests to confirm whether or not the mother and the baby elephant are related.” said Metee Meechai, director DNP’s Wildlife Preservation Division for Region 5, based in Nakhon Sri Thammarat.

Two more elephant camps, Siam Safari and At Hill Adventure Tour, on the hill to Big Buddha image were being investigated, Mr Methee added.

“All of their elephants will be investigated. If the camp owners do not have the right documents for the elephants, they will be punished and the elephants will also be handed over to the TECC,” he said.

Mr Tassanes said that legal prosecution will left to the local authorities to pursue.

Present at today’s raids were officers from Chalong Police and the Phuket branch of the Tourist Police.

Col Watcharin Phusin, the superintendent of the regional Natural Resources and Environment Crime Suppression Division, earlier reported to the Phuket Gazette that anyone found guilty in the case will get up to four years in jail, a 40,000 baht fine, or both, in accordance with Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act.

Joining the camp raids today were Phuket Forestry Department officers, who seized logs made from protected trees on the mount above the ATV Elephant Camp.

“We also found a backhoe at the site, but we did not find any workers on the hill, so we will work with Chalong Polices to find the suspects,” said Amnard Soikiew, the director of the Forestry Department’s Protection and Suppression Division in Bangkok.

His department is also investigating the land titles for the sites occupied by the ATV camp, Siam Safari and At Hill Adventure Tours.

“According to our investigation, the owner of the ATV camp has only a SorPorKor document [for the land in question], which was issued after the camp was established,” Mr Amnard said.

SorPorKor documents, which are issued by the Forestry Department, bestow the holder the right to use the land for agricultural purposes only.

“Meanwhile, the owners of Siam Safari and At Hill Adventure Tours do not have the right documents to prove they own the land. Their case will be sent to the court, and if they claim the land belongs to them, they can prove it to the court,” Mr Amnard said.

“If they are found to have no rights to the land, they will have to vacate the property,” he said.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle12432.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-02-28

[KhunOr]

Wonderful to see the authorities doing their job of seizing baby elephants and repatriating them with their mothers. DNA testing is being conducted and is working.

Also great to see that the mothers too have been seized and already sent to the Thai Elephant Conservation Center in Lampang where they will well cared for. I have been a donor and supporter of the TECC for many years.

Some good news on this tragic subject at last.

[TeddyFlyfisherDavis]

Good work... Keep it up...

[Frenchtouch]

Good work... Keep it up...

Last week there were three very young elephants begging in the streets of Lopburi during King Narai Festival. They were there every night from 6 PM to 12 PM with their very young mahouts, lying on the ground in the noise and the crowd.

Policemen were in great number aroun but.......

So why is something legal in some places and illegal in other places?

These babies elephants have been around here in Lopburi for months, so who to contact?

[harrry]

The Elephant place in Lampung will be a great home. No double charging there and they really care for the elephants.

[TeddyFlyfisherDavis]

Good work... Keep it up...

Last week there were three very young elephants begging in the streets of Lopburi during King Narai Festival. They were there every night from 6 PM to 12 PM with their very young mahouts, lying on the ground in the noise and the crowd.

Policemen were in great number aroun but.......

So why is something legal in some places and illegal in other places?

These babies elephants have been around here in Lopburi for months, so who to contact?

@ Frenchtouch...That is a dam_n good question and I wish I had the answer...It seems the police everywhere, only do something about ANYTHING, if it effects them personaly...They are a waist of skin in my ever so humble opinion...I happened upon a car accident a couple weeks ago that had taken place within at least 15 minutes...The girl was laying in the middle of the road with only a few people standing around gawking while a cop was standing on the medien ever so aloof, smoking a ciggarette...The girl was hurt pretty bad and you would think the cop would be administering some sort of comfort or immediate first aid...But no...He had to have that smoke...Typical and a disgrace at best...

[thaiIand]

so ATV camp only has documents for agriculture? why is it not closed on the same day that this has been uncovered?

The elephants are just a quick PR because it was too apparent. Nothing else will be done, they might even just leave the baby elephants there. Sending them to lampang is way too much work.

[DefaultName]

Wonderful to see the authorities doing their job of seizing baby elephants and repatriating them with their mothers. DNA testing is being conducted and is working.

Also great to see that the mothers too have been seized and already sent to the Thai Elephant Conservation Center in Lampang where they will well cared for. I have been a donor and supporter of the TECC for many years.

Some good news on this tragic subject at last.

DNA testing????? Just put the calves near the females and there will be little doubt if they are the mothers.