White elephant caught on camera in Phetchaburi
The Nation


A suspected white elephant, right, is photographed by an infrared camera at an artificial salt-lick in a Phetchaburi forest earlier this week.

PHETCHABURI: -- Apparent images of a much-sought-after white elephant spotted earlier near Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi have been recorded by cameras set up in the jungle, leaving officials with a decision to make on whether to capture the rare, auspicious animal and place it in custodial care.

A senior government veterinarian, Phattharaphol Manee-on, said recent video and photographs showed the albino elephant visiting a salt lick with a herd comprising five or six other wild elephants near Karang Sam Reservoir. Obtaining evidence of the herd's existence only became possible when media presence in the area was reduced and artificial salt licks were created, Phattharaphol said.

A residence and a goat den that had obstructed the herd's regular path will be relocated to give the elephants greater ease of movement, and more cameras will be installed at the salt-lick site and in nearby areas to improve the chances of photographing the beast, he said.

Chote Trachoo, permanent secretary of the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, said more and clearer images were needed to verify that this elephant was actually an albino.

"A conclusion to capture it at this moment would be premature, as this is an important decision the ministry will have to make," he said.

White elephants are commonly regarded as sacred. From the times of the ancient kingdoms through to this day, they are seen as rightfully belonging in the custody of the Thai monarch.

Meanwhile, a draft control measure on the trade of tusks and ivory authored by Thai officials and due to be ratified in an agreement with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species is ready and will be submitted to CITES on May 15.

Signing the agreement will require Thailand, in a three-year time frame, to implement nationwide monitoring of the trade in tusks and ivory within one year, and of possession of domesticated elephants, within six months to one year.

In a related development, ML Pipattanachat Diskul, a veterinarian attached to the Royal Household Bureau, yesterday said it was not the agency's responsibility to decide whether to capture the white elephant. He said the Royal Household Bureau's main responsibility regarding the matter was to examine a white elephant to determine whether it has the distinctive features required.

He also said that it would cost as much as Bt30 million to hold a traditional elephant-capture ceremony.


-- The Nation 2013-05-04

They did realise it isn't a colour camera, and the picture is taken in the middle of the night?

Ridiculous.

Would be great if this was true

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Right, where's my gun?

no matter what the colour just leave the poor thing alone , to get on with life .............

no matter what the colour just leave the poor thing alone , to get on with life .............

Unfortunately, it's too late now that they've tipped off all the poachers

Is Phetchaburi the capital of Mongolia?

More superstitious mumbo jumbo and now we have Ministries dictating nature? What low level IQ's these people have. White elephants for royalty? Okay I can (barely) live with that knowing the animal will be pampered (to a human standard) but let the animal roam wild with its natural family before you reduce it to slavery. If the albino is allowed to breed there would be a good chance it will produce more offspring thus reduce the demand for such misguided nonsense.

"He also said that it would cost as much as Bt30 million to hold a traditional elephant-capture ceremony."

Does anyone know what a "traditional elephant-capture ceremony" is? Bt30M? That's a million dollars, must be elaborate. How many rent-a-monks will that pay for?

I see trees of green, red roses too

I see kids bloom, with talcum too

and I said to myself, "What a load of tosh!"

-Louis

They did realise it isn't a colour camera, and the picture is taken in the middle of the night?

So you're saying it could be a pink one then?

They did realise it isn't a colour camera, and the picture is taken in the middle of the night?

So you're saying it could be a pink one then?

I hope not; that would have to go to the PM.

As the other posters have said, leave the animal alone ... But then again, it is auspicious and MUST go to the one who has the most boon here.

More superstitious mumbo jumbo and now we have Ministries dictating nature? What low level IQ's these people have. White elephants for royalty? Okay I can (barely) live with that knowing the animal will be pampered (to a human standard) but let the animal roam wild with its natural family before you reduce it to slavery. If the albino is allowed to breed there would be a good chance it will produce more offspring thus reduce the demand for such misguided nonsense.

I agree, just not with the low IQ part. It's what many are used to here, and any other idea (foreign) is ridiculous in changing their beloved view. <--- no low blows meant btw

Here's a pic posted on a Thai website. Looks pretty white here but not so sure why the other one os so black. There's a pretty good video on the site too linked to youtube :

which is where the still came from

He also said that it would cost as much as Bt30 million to hold a traditional elephant-capture ceremony.

At that price I would be very disappointed if coyote dancing were not included in the festivities.

Let It Be

White ? .. it looks kind of elephant grey if you ask me,

Leave the bloody thing alone!

Here's a pic posted on a Thai website. Looks pretty white here but not so sure why the other one os so black. There's a pretty good video on the site too linked to youtube :

which is where the still came from

Don't worry - a week or two in captivity, they'll give him a jacket to keep the sun off his skin and apply "nivea with gentle whitening" lotion 3 times a day, and he'll be as white as a thai-chinese hi-so chick in no time! Maybe we'll be able to see his veins and arteries too - through semi translucent skin..... as per said thai-chinese hi-so chick.

What's that - eyes aren't pink ..... there's a great street vendor on sukhumvit or silom I'm sure that sell pink contacts. Problem solved.

Leave the bloody thing alone!

I agree that the best thing would be for it to left alone but I also know it wouldn't be. Elephants are poached as it is so a white one will definitely bring you more luck, make your penis bigger ect. No chance that it will be left in peace so maybe catching it might be best. I really don't know

Love it and may it live in peace.

Black Rhino now extinct. Yup.

Sumatran Rhino, good as finished.

Gharial Crocadile in the wild

Great Panda, Red Panda, Chinese Croc.

Orangutan and many specie in China also as good as done.

Tigers, only matter of time.

Even elephants.

Why all the fuss? There are so many other white elephants in Thailand. We've got a few in Phuket. The "Phuket Gateway" is one - cost about 50 million baht and no one goes there.

My interpretation of this saga, is the White Elephant was caught on a camera, either it was a very small elephant or a rather large camera, see I okay on a SAtUrDaY morning.

Here's a pic posted on a Thai website. Looks pretty white here but not so sure why the other one os so black. There's a pretty good video on the site too linked to youtube :

which is where the still came from

Don't worry - a week or two in captivity, they'll give him a jacket to keep the sun off his skin and apply "nivea with gentle whitening" lotion 3 times a day, and he'll be as white as a thai-chinese hi-so chick in no time! Maybe we'll be able to see his veins and arteries too - through semi translucent skin..... as per said thai-chinese hi-so chick.

What's that - eyes aren't pink ..... there's a great street vendor on sukhumvit or silom I'm sure that sell pink contacts. Problem solved.

Heroin has pretty much the same effect, only faster

I'm surprised with all those veterinarians and other beasts coming with statements. Don't they know that barely a week ago Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasob Suraswadi in his capacity as Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, rebuked the Forestry official who disclosed the news and claimed the calf was a white elephant before verification, saying that the declaration should only be made by the Director General of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Manopat Huamuangkaew.

Post written in ALL CAPS has been removed.

So this time the park chief's poaching team can be officially contracted to catch the baby elephant

Am sure this will make the perfect merit making gift! Take the middle path my arse

'White elephants' are almost never as white as people imagine. There are non-color requirements to meet if it is to be called a Thai white elephant.