Elephants walking on the road in the dark!

[Curiosity Killed The Cat]

i was driving along the route from Kalim to Kamala around 7.30 pm when all of a sudden at the very last minute i noticed an elephant with his mahout riding on it was walking along the side of the road in the dark. It was so dark in the location that they were walking i almost did not see them. If i would have crashed into them it would have been horrific and of course my fault. Has anyone else encountered this problem? Wouldn't you think that they would at least have a small light hanging on the inner roadside on the elephant so that we could see it?

[bubblegum]

7.30 still dark ? And an elephant is as big as house but you did (almost) not see ? What kind of stuff you're drinking/using ? gotta get me some of that :-)

[Guest]

I saw one elephant somewhere there on Friday night. The caretakers took the elephant for late night snack to eat the grass about 5 meters from the road.

Some reflective bands around elephants belly and back would do a big difference to the visibility.

[Curiosity Killed The Cat]

7.30 still dark ? And an elephant is as big as house but you did (almost) not see ? What kind of stuff you're drinking/using ? gotta get me some of that :-)

No i had not been drinking, it was about 7.30 pm and very dark,they walk that strip every night and it is really dangerous.

[Curiosity Killed The Cat]

it is very serious,

[hkt83100]

7.30 still dark ? And an elephant is as big as house but you did (almost) not see ? What kind of stuff you're drinking/using ? gotta get me some of that :-)

I'd say at 7.30pm it is dark already, for about half an hour and staying like that all night...

[Fookhaht]

Isn't that what the tail is for? Tie a CD to it?

Edited July 28, 2013 by Fookhaht

[Curiosity Killed The Cat]

7.30 still dark ? And an elephant is as big as house but you did (almost) not see ? What kind of stuff you're drinking/using ? gotta get me some of that :-)

I'd say at 7.30pm it is dark already, for about half an hour and staying like that all night...

Lets forget what time it was, it might have been 8pm. This is a serious point and it IS VERY dangerous.

[OldChinaHam]

I very much love elephants, especially when they are not in captivity, or working elephants.

BUT you are entirely correct.

Elephants are so smart, you could probably teach them to hold a flashlight with its trunk and shine it backwards or forwards every time a car approached.

But I come from Pennsylvania where there are horses in the road pulling carts.

And it is against the religion to use electricity.

So now it is THE LAW that all horse carts, which are pretty big too, MUST have a warning on the back in the form of an orange triangle so approaching cars can avoid them. You would be surprised about stopping distances and visibility of dark beasts on the highway at night when your car is going fast, but still within the speed limit.

It is very dangerous to not have a warning attached when in the road.

So in case you cannot visualize this or have never lived with the Pennsylvania Dutch,

Here are two small photo images.

You can find more if you want bigger ones.

This can be both very effective and

Very beautiful, too.

((It would be so easy just to require that they put a orange blanket on the backs of all elephants in the road, something reflective, and big. Probably would cost no more than a few Baht, and you would need no electricity and it would be very effective.)))

Edited July 28, 2013 by OldChinaHam

[jpeg]

Wouldn't you think that they would at least have a small light hanging on the inner roadside on the elephant so that we could see it?

As they used to do with the begging elephants in Bangkok, you know, before they were er, banned ...

[Shot]

Covering them with Christmas lights would work.

[OldChinaHam]

I think the Xmas lights are sick

If you love

Elephants

[Guest]

Special report by Not The Phuket news

Several Phuket expats have called our news agency about sightings of elephants on the road between Kalim and Kamala. "The elephants are almost impossible to see, before it's too late, while these large animals roam on the roads during the night" - tells one of the expats. "It's a disaster waiting to happen, people will die" continues another.

Not The Phuket News called to local police station to ask what will be done to the situation. Pol Com. Surchai Moormonii said that they have not noticed anything unusual on that road during their annual patrols. However they will take a better look during next round-up, which is scheduled to be executed on November.

The chairman of Kalim Residents Association Khun Maimii Lotsaporn told NTPN that they are responsible of putting the elephants to the road. "We have been complaining speeding cars and motorbikes on the road for ages. Local government did nothing so we decided to take action. Earlier we installed asphalt speed bumps to the road as well as sometimes poured oil to the road to make it more difficult for cars drive high speeds. These were cleared out within weeks. So we needed more agile solutions."

He continued "It's rather simple really. We have a surplus of aging elephants, which can be used as easily moved speed bumps. The drivers will never know which part of the road we place the animals. Large size of old elephants work as very effective method to stop the speeders."

When asked if this causes suffering to the elephants, Lotsaporn answered "Not really. If our calculations are correct, one large animal can stand about 50 motorbike collisions, 5 cars and 2 cement trucks. The elephant should be finished in one week, so there is no long term suffering."

"Furthermore the collisions make the elephant meat very tender. We have already setup a local hub to prepare exporting the elephant meat to foreign countries. This means more work for our residents. Everybody are happy as this solution fixes the speeding problem and also bring money and work in to the local community."

[NCC1701A]

I almost walked into the back of a elephant in Surin.

[Curiosity Killed The Cat]

Well i hope for you that it is not one of your family that might be crushed by one of these elephants should they crash into it. Many western peole complain after the effect of accidents then joke when there is a comment that something needs to be done about an accident waiting to happen! I have contacted The Phuket LIvestock Office and lets hope they do something about it.

[Guest]

Well i hope for you that it is not one of your family that might be crushed by one of these elephants should they crash into it. Many western peole complain after the effect of accidents then joke when there is a comment that something needs to be done about an accident waiting to happen! I have contacted The Phuket LIvestock Office and lets hope they do something about it.

Sorry, it was not meant to be any way offensive to you.

You did exactly the right thing. Contacted relevant authorities and warned people here on this forum.

On top of that you might think of calling some of the Phuket newspapers or radio stations as publishing the story might speed up the process to fix the problem.

[OldChinaHam]

Well i hope for you that it is not one of your family that might be crushed by one of these elephants should they crash into it. Many western peole complain after the effect of accidents then joke when there is a comment that something needs to be done about an accident waiting to happen! I have contacted The Phuket LIvestock Office and lets hope they do something about it.

Please do me a favor and tell them about my reflective yellow orange blanket/cloth idea which could easily be strapped on the back (and forehead). And sides, I think.

This would not cost 50 Baht and would save lives.

[Curiosity Killed The Cat]

Well i hope for you that it is not one of your family that might be crushed by one of these elephants should they crash into it. Many western peole complain after the effect of accidents then joke when there is a comment that something needs to be done about an accident waiting to happen! I have contacted The Phuket LIvestock Office and lets hope they do something about it.

Sorry, it was not meant to be any way offensive to you.

You did exactly the right thing. Contacted relevant authorities and warned people here on this forum.

On top of that you might think of calling some of the Phuket newspapers or radio stations as publishing the story might speed up the process to fix the problem.

I already also contacted the phuket gazette issues and answers site, lets hope they respond, thanks

[Curiosity Killed The Cat]

Well i hope for you that it is not one of your family that might be crushed by one of these elephants should they crash into it. Many western peole complain after the effect of accidents then joke when there is a comment that something needs to be done about an accident waiting to happen! I have contacted The Phuket LIvestock Office and lets hope they do something about it.

Please do me a favor and tell them about my reflective yellow orange blanket/cloth idea which could easily be strapped on the back (and forehead). And sides, I think.

This would not cost 50 Baht and would save lives.

Will do

[I Like Thai]

7.30 still dark ? And an elephant is as big as house but you did (almost) not see ? What kind of stuff you're drinking/using ? gotta get me some of that :-)

No i had not been drinking, it was about 7.30 pm and very dark,they walk that strip every night and it is really dangerous.

In this case, there is no reason why you should hit them. You know they are there. Maybe you need to slow down.

[phuketsub]

I think we need to view this in terms of the entire spectrum of potential 'roadkill', from the clueless centipede or cockroach up to animals that can really have an impact (literally) on one's vehicle. This could be a good premise for a reality TV show: Daihatsu Mira vs African Elephant, etc.

More seriously, and I don't intend any disrespect, my greatest fear remains 22-wheel flatbeds parked in the breakdown lane of the road (especially the bypass road), with little or no lighting when I am on a motorbike.

Anyway, due diligence to anyone who would take to the roads of Phuket, sober or otherwise...

[Curiosity Killed The Cat]

7.30 still dark ? And an elephant is as big as house but you did (almost) not see ? What kind of stuff you're drinking/using ? gotta get me some of that :-)

No i had not been drinking, it was about 7.30 pm and very dark,they walk that strip every night and it is really dangerous.

In this case, there is no reason why you should hit them. You know they are there. Maybe you need to slow down.

I was not speeding, the point is there are elephants walking down the road taking up 20% of the land of the road available. It is pitch black in certain areas, they have no lights or recognizable features, they are black for goodness sake NUUUR.....They are dangerous in any way you want to look at it or comment about it.

[Chainsaw]

The elephants in BKK are required to have a tail light (no pun intended). If you saw a red flashing light swinging to and fro you knew it was an elephant. They also had flashlights facing forward fastened to each side of the chair.

There are elephants near where I live here on the island and I can vouch for the fact that they are very difficult to see at night. I know a couple of people who have had near misses.

[OldChinaHam]

The elephants in BKK are required to have a tail light (no pun intended). If you saw a red flashing light swinging to and fro you knew it was an elephant. They also had flashlights facing forward fastened to each side of the chair.

There are elephants near where I live here on the island and I can vouch for the fact that they are very difficult to see at night. I know a couple of people who have had near misses.

They probably adapted to be very difficult to see at night.

[Curiosity Killed The Cat]

The elephants in BKK are required to have a tail light (no pun intended). If you saw a red flashing light swinging to and fro you knew it was an elephant. They also had flashlights facing forward fastened to each side of the chair.

There are elephants near where I live here on the island and I can vouch for the fact that they are very difficult to see at night. I know a couple of people who have had near misses.

They probably adapted to be very difficult to see at night.

i am personally affected it he elephant or the car gets damaged, the elephant is the innocent party, it is the mahout that is mistreating the wonderful animal

[OldChinaHam]

The elephants in BKK are required to have a tail light (no pun intended). If you saw a red flashing light swinging to and fro you knew it was an elephant. They also had flashlights facing forward fastened to each side of the chair.

There are elephants near where I live here on the island and I can vouch for the fact that they are very difficult to see at night. I know a couple of people who have had near misses.

They probably adapted to be very difficult to see at night.

i am personally affected it he elephant or the car gets damaged, the elephant is the innocent party, it is the mahout that is mistreating the wonderful animal

I TOTALLY agree.

But what can we do?

Elephants are smart.

Men are stupid.

At least the cheap reflective blanket might save some injuries to the elephants.

The innocent people, yes save them from injury too

Any others, then I could care less.

[hansgruber]

Elephant meat is rather tasty when it has been cooked for a few hours. Really good stew meat.

[phuketjock]

Elephants walking on the road in Thailand, well I never whatever next???

I do believe the Elephants were here before the cars, in fact I know they

were even here before the roads. If you know they walk there every night

do something useful like put a sign up to inform people instead of wingeing

on here.

PS. I am sure they are less dangerous than Thai m/bikes with side cars/frames

driving round at night with one or no rear light???

Edited July 28, 2013 by phuketjock

[bubblegum]

I've seen an elephant once at night, it was pink and flying