Furore Intensifies Over Elephant Trade In Thailand

[Johpa]

I met an Issan girl last week who told me she has often eaten elephant, and was amused that I was shocked... I bet there are more of them killed than anyone could ever guess.

Having lived in elphant country for many years up north, I have never heard of an animal being slaughtered for meat. However, sometimes when an elephant died from a known accidental cause then the animal was butchered. I would imagine that the same thing happens in the Suai populated regions of Isaan. Eating elephant meat is, in and of itself, not shocking. I have eaten such meat twice over the past 25 years. But slaughtering a healthy elephant for meat makes no economic sense apart from when very wealthy Chinese are willing to pay big Baat for the opportunity.

[allan michaud]

Just because the wildlife sanctuaries is owned by Farang, it does not automatically be respected, nor immune from raids.

Farang are not GODS. There are bad Farang as well. Some deal with drug, some underage protitution, some traffic humans, set up casio, some sell animal parts, etc.

And don't change the subject.

Why Wiek had no papers for more than 100 of the 450 animals at his centre?

Edwin is a good and well respected man doing something that Thai's should be doing themselves, sadly most Thai's don't give a dam_n. As for the papers from what I have seen on numerous blogs and videos on the raids, the officials turned up and demanded papers instantly and did not permit them even an hour to try to locate all the paperwork. This is just about retribution nothing else.

This is a very Thai problem that the Thai people should be dealing with, why is it left to a farang to point out problems like this.

When Phuket police raid your car, do they demanded papers instantly and did not permit them even an hour to try to locate all the paperwork?

When Pattaya police raid your bar, do they demanded papers instantly and did not permit them even an hour to try to locate all the paperwork?

When Patpong police raid your bra, do they demanded papers instantly and did not permit them even an hour to try to locate all the paperwork?

Calm down mate, Firstly I don't not own a bar or a car, (i do not own a bra either), I avoid sh@t holes like Pattaya and Patpong like the plague, as I do the wonderful Thai police.

Yes there are plenty of undesirable farangs in Thailand (as there are plenty of undesirable Thais) but we are supposed to be talking elephants here. Try reading some of the many articles out there on this. I know Edwin, not well, but I do know his center is one of the best in Thailand and this is purely retribution for him being brave enough to speak out on an issue that everyone else was too scared to talk about. He knew from previous experience what would likely happen when he spoke out but still went ahead. That takes balls.

Don't blame the messenger?

[Tanaka]

The ENP outside Chiang Mai as well as many other elephant sanctuaries, is a private entreprise and as such the DNP does not have jurisdiction over it. I find it strange that they do not have any good lawyer to support them and to tell the real criminals within DNP to piss off.

[annabel]

Just because the wildlife sanctuaries is owned by Farang, it does not automatically be respected, nor immune from raids.

Farang are not GODS. There are bad Farang as well. Some deal with drug, some underage protitution, some traffic humans, set up casio, some sell animal parts, etc.

And don't change the subject.

Why Wiek had no papers for more than 100 of the 450 animals at his centre?

Nice post, albeit a bit off topic.

Regarding your query:

The reason why Edwin Wiek's wife went into prison for a night, was that she could not produce the documents for 100 animals out of a total of 480 within a few hours only.

She still had to print them all out as she had the papers on computer file only, of course she should have these present at all times printed out and ready to show any official, whenever needed.

The second mistake Mr. Wiek made, is that he personally attacked Thailand's DNP chief on tv and in local media. He should have used a 'middle-man' preferably Thai native, for obvious reasons.

Third, before he accused a local big guy, he should have gathered forensic evidence, a picture maybe or a video in order to prove his accusation and in order to give the DNP something they can work with. It was his word against theirs.

Although Lek and Edwin do really fantastic work for many years already, they both know what country they live in and to what standards the politicians and other people in power live by and speaking up against them is not always the smartest thing to do.

That's Thailand.

Sparebox /// ( suitable name but we don't need a Spare box who claims to not want to be a farang but who is obviously blind the to Thai BS blackmails ... so please go away ! and do you your country a favor by not embarrassing it any further by your ignorance and bigotry .... ) Ouf ....!!! where do these morons come from ???

Now to a lucid person being Luckyman >>>> Thank you for your honest opinion however no.!!! .. this is not Thailand ... this is how many powerful people make LAMBS out of people by intimidation and FEAR !! .....FEAR!!!! being the biggest thing / tool in 3rd world countries and even in our wonderful developed countries in this wonderful 21st Century .... and that is why Thais will never voice an opinion whether regarding animals, pollution or ridiculous flood compensations of 5,000 Baht ......No guts...!! Well No!!... That was an unfair statement as it is again FEAR !!! really not that THEY HAVE NO GUTS BUT.... FEAR AGAIN ... !! No beliefs!! as they have been brainwashed like most people right now allover the world ///and most of all .....FEAR as imposed by all governments all over the world right now in various issues .... The Mind Controllers have a new Weapon that they are using unlawfully called IMPOSING FEAR .... and it is something that cannot be condemned and prosecuted for as in the past hundreds of centuries .... It's just a continuation of Control by Imposing FEAR>>>>>

[annabel]

The ENP outside Chiang Mai as well as many other elephant sanctuaries, is a private entreprise and as such the DNP does not have jurisdiction over it. I find it strange that they do not have any good lawyer to support them and to tell the real criminals within DNP to piss off.

When 100 armed and agressive officials show up ... what chance does even a lawyer have ...?? Go and look at all the videos of the raids ///

https://www.facebook.com/WildlifeFriendsFoundation

[bigbamboo]

The disgusting individuals involved in this abuse of elephants should be named and shamed, whoever they are.

Edited March 17, 2012 by bigbamboo

[annabel]

Just because the wildlife sanctuaries is owned by Farang, it does not automatically be respected, nor immune from raids.

Farang are not GODS. There are bad Farang as well. Some deal with drug, some underage protitution, some traffic humans, set up casio, some sell animal parts, etc.

And don't change the subject.

Why Wiek had no papers for more than 100 of the 450 animals at his centre?

Edwin is a good and well respected man doing something that Thai's should be doing themselves, sadly most Thai's don't give a dam_n. As for the papers from what I have seen on numerous blogs and videos on the raids, the officials turned up and demanded papers instantly and did not permit them even an hour to try to locate all the paperwork. This is just about retribution nothing else.

This is a very Thai problem that the Thai people should be dealing with, why is it left to a farang to point out problems like this.

When Phuket police raid your car, do they demanded papers instantly and did not permit them even an hour to try to locate all the paperwork?

When Pattaya police raid your bar, do they demanded papers instantly and did not permit them even an hour to try to locate all the paperwork?

When Patpong police raid your bra, do they demanded papers instantly and did not permit them even an hour to try to locate all the paperwork?

Calm down mate, Firstly I don't not own a bar or a car, (i do not own a bra either), I avoid sh@t holes like Pattaya and Patpong like the plague, as I do the wonderful Thai police.

Yes there are plenty of undesirable farangs in Thailand (as there are plenty of undesirable Thais) but we are supposed to be talking elephants here. Try reading some of the many articles out there on this. I know Edwin, not well, but I do know his center is one of the best in Thailand and this is purely retribution for him being brave enough to speak out on an issue that everyone else was too scared to talk about. He knew from previous experience what would likely happen when he spoke out but still went ahead. That takes balls.

Don't blame the messenger?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dngvRb3i-s&feature=share

[kaorop]

australia network is airing a damming report on the elephant trade in los soon