I just picked up on a blog about the elephant roundup in Surin. I definitely won't be going next year even though I live nearby. The elephants in the 'elephant village' of Ban Ta Klang area a different matter, to mant volunteers from abroad living there most of the time.

The video will make you feel ill: http://www.boundingoveroursteps.com/surin-elephant-roundup-behind-the-scenes

If elephants had no use to humans they would quickly become extinct in the wild.

Strange comment mate. So if there were no use for horses they wouldn't exist in the wild? Horses used to be broken like this (still are maybe) but it has been proven that this isn't necessary.

Could very well be the reason that two-year-old elephant went "crazy" a couple of weeks ago, and killed the German tourist on Rayong Beach.

You mean the Thai wife of a German.

Strange comment mate. So if there were no use for horses they wouldn't exist in the wild? Horses used to be broken like this (still are maybe) but it has been proven that this isn't necessary.

Horses don't have such stringent parameters for the environment of their habitat, in conflict with human needs.

They couldn't survive in most of the places in the world that still have mustangs and brumbies running around.

But yes, it's strange, not as if those still abusing elephants (which I would define as any human use at all) are the ones fighting to protect their wilderness areas and defending them against poachers assasins, very much the opposite.

and the elephant is a Thai symbol , i just watched the video , i would like to meet these guys down a dark alley . it made me sick to think what these beautiful animals are going though. this part of Thailand is sickening .

If elephants had no use to humans they would quickly become extinct in the wild.

maybe if you had no TV you would become extinct

Not all Elephants are treat this way , Some are treat like family,

I feel sorry for elephants. They are very intelligent animals and much smarter than dogs that humans value so much. They also live almost the identical length of time as humans. When I see a big elephant staked to the ground on a short chain, and just rocking back and forth out of frustration and boredom, my heart goes out to them and I almost weep. But, given love and affection, an elephant and a human can bond in a way that even two humans can't.

Unfortunately, man's inhumanity to other creatures (including other humans) seems to have no boundies. Hunans are as cruel as they can be loving.

Having Fun With Elephants?

If uncle jack helped you off an elephant would you help your Uncle jack off an elephant?

Not all Elephants are treat this way , Some are treat like family,

I'm sure that you are right,you will not see these elephants though because it doesn't sell newspapers or make the news,only the bad stories like this one!