Elephants rescue tourists stranded in Phang Nga jungle
Phuket Gazette


Four older elephants were dispatched to safely recover 16 tourists from the jungle north of Phuket. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- A rescue party of four elephants was dispatched to safely recover 16 tourists stranded in the jungle north of Phuket yesterday after a landslide brought on by torrential rains cut off their return path and the elephants they were riding balked at taking another route.

The tourists were on an elephant trek in the hills behind Baan Thung Kamin in Khuk Khak, an area just north of the popular beach resort town of Khao Lak.

“Their mahouts tried taking another route back to the camp, but it meant crossing a canal that was flowing very strongly because of the downpour,” Khuk Khak Deputy Mayor Sirithorn Buakaew told the Phuket Gazette.

“The elephants they were riding are relatively young and were afraid of crossing the strong current. So we called in rescue workers from several stations to head into the hills on four older elephants to rescue them,” he said.

All 16 tourists were safely recovered, while the mahouts spent the night in the jungle with the younger elephants waiting for the current to subside so they could return home.

The Thai Meteorological Department weather-monitoring station at nearby Takuapa town recorded 64mm of rainfall soaking the area between 10am and 1pm yesterday.

Phuket also endured torrential downpours yesterday and overnight, with the TMD reporting 154mm of rain falling at Phuket international Airport in the 24 hours preceding 7am today.

Khuk Khak Deputy Mayor Sirithorn urged tourists to beware the ongoing wet weather.

“Tourists, please be warned not to swim in the sea or play in the water at waterfalls during this period of time. The heavy rain is making them dangerous,” he said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Elephants-rescue-tourists-stranded-in-Phang-Nga-jungle-22225.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2013-09-12

You have got to love these giant animals, wonderful things really !

At last a good news story for both Phuket and thailand

All 16 tourists were safely recovered, while the mahouts spent the night in the jungle with the younger elephants waiting for the current to subside so they could return home.

+1 to the mahouts.

A hard life for little reward.

Tourists caught in landslide evacuated by elephant
Tanyaluk Sakoot

The elephants bring the tourists along the flooded road from the jungle trekking camp and the top of the hill in the background. Photo: Khuk Khak Municipality

PHANG NGA: -- Sixteen German tourists got much more than they bargained for yesterday (September 11) in the Thung Kamin area of Khao Lak, when their elephant trek through the jungle turned into an evacuation by elephant.

The tourists had been for a one-hour trek but when they finished, in pouring rain, there was no minibus waiting for them. The reason was obvious. Torrential rain had caused a landslide right next to the elephant camp, and blocked the road below.

There was no let-up in the rain. If anything it was worsening, going from downpour to downright waterfall. There was no way the tourists could walk out down the steep and muddy slope and along the rivers of mud that had filled up the road.

The Deputy Mayor of Khuk Khak, Sirithorn Buakaew, informed of the situation, talked with the tour company and the elephant camp, and they came to the obvious conclusion: the way to get the Germans out was by elephant – using four animals with four passengers apiece.

Which is what happened. The 16 were safely evacuated, and delivered to their hotels with an impressively exciting and unusual tale to tell when they get home.

Mr Sirithorn told The Phuket News, “This situation was definitely dangerous. I warned the elephant people before to beware of flooding; if there’s a bad accident, it will reflect badly on Thailand.

“I have already talked repeatedly with tour operators about ensuring their tours are safe. I will call other tour companies to let them know about this case and to emphasise that they must keep eyes and ears open constantly for changes in the weather.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/tourists-caught-in-landslide-evacuated-by-elephant-41875.php


-- Phuket News 2013-09-12

What a great story, reminds me of earlier years in Thailand I took my then girlfriend now wife to an elephant park in Pattaya, thinking it would be great to ride around on these majestic animals. When on the top of a platform an elephant walked by and we were beckoned up, she burst into tears and pleaded with me not to make her get on the elephant. Shocked I said whats the matter. She said "look they are crying and their ears are all torn, these animals are in pain" being relatively new to Thailand I had only seen one or two young elephants in the streets and didn't think much about their welfare. But she was right, there were tracks from the tears, they looked like shit and the place was dump. I felt pretty low and sorry for all involved, we turned around and walked off the platform and out of the supposed park.

Later we talked about it and my wife said she has never sat on an elephant and would never do so, "it is like sitting on a god and inviting the worst possible karma" from my limited interactions with elephants since I have grown to love and respect them. I have never ridden one and never will.

Just sharing, thanks for reading

It's a shame they need to work to eat, just like most humans. What to do with them though? Hope they are cared for as well as possible.

What a great story, reminds me of earlier years in Thailand I took my then girlfriend now wife to an elephant park in Pattaya, thinking it would be great to ride around on these majestic animals.....

Just sharing, thanks for reading

Great post.

Been here over a year, you should write more.

more of this please - less stories of murder and meanness

Whilst I feel the headline was a bit misleading, it's a nice story with a happy ending.

Elephants are some of the most intelligent, and majestic animals in the world. Unfortunately,throughout history they have been used and abused and treated as "dumb brutes". To me, riding an elephant for anything other than an absolute emergency should be against the law throughout the world, and those who force these beautiful creatures into "slave work conditions" should be beaten to death.

At last a good news story for both Phuket and thailand

Yeah well the bad new story glut is at the whim of those presenting forum headlines.

All 16 tourists were safely recovered, while the mahouts spent the night in the jungle with the younger elephants waiting for the current to subside so they could return home.

+1 to the mahouts.

A hard life for little reward.

Yeah, those poor, poor mahouts have it so bad... I mean, they are ripped from their mothers when they are just babies, hog-tied in a pen so that they are unable to move, then they are repeatedly beaten and stabbed until they are broken and have lost their spirit.

Wait a second! That's what the mahouts do to the elephants! Now I remember. Yeah, those mahouts sure live a hard life.

Good news once in a long while. Good job to those cute and big elephants

Very revitalizing story. It's nice to hear that captive elephants are now gainfully employed as rescue animals...instead of begging for baht on the beaches.

Elephants are some of the most intelligent, and majestic animals in the world. Unfortunately,throughout history they have been used and abused and treated as "dumb brutes". To me, riding an elephant for anything other than an absolute emergency should be against the law throughout the world, and those who force these beautiful creatures into "slave work conditions" should be beaten to death.

The term "dumb animals" refers to their inability to speak, not their intelligence. There can be dignity in work, both for animals and humans. Of course, both vulnerable humans and animals can be abused, but I hope these mahouts and their elephant are well treated.

This report sounds like the story line for some children's book ... old age maturity saves the day! Mighty Chang to the Rescue!

Off topic post removed (along with a reply quoting it, although I can see why it was posted )

This topic is not about US politics. Please stay on track thanks

I note that the original chang "balked" at being directed down a different route. To me (from my animal training days) that is indicative of over-training. The trick here is to gain the animals trust to the degree that it will function outside the strict parameters of the mindless tourist route down which it has trodden for so long.

Elephants rescue tourists stranded in Phang Nga jungle

I wouldn't have been nearly as impressed if the Elephants were just used for the rescue.

A positive story on Thai visa with mostly positive response... Wow a good day indeed!

more animal exploitation. I just question if a good stamping by adult elephants is a just effect for ignorrance and complicity in animal exploitation

cool

Good story, except why would the rain make the sea dangerous? Did the ocean flood? lol

My wish is that Thailand's numerous elephants in the wild will continue to be left in peace. I have often seen wild elephants during the sugar cane harvest season when sip-lores ply the country lanes of Sa Kao ferrying the sugar cane to the sugar mills. Elephants go crazy for the sugar cane and sometimes work together to trap sip-lores full of cane on the road. When they succeed the driver has to run for his life leaving the grateful elephants to eat his ten tons of cane.

To see many photos of wild and / or working elephants Google 'elephants wild Thailand'

Go here for a good Thai Police project to recover 26 Thai elephants stolen from their wild habitat.

http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/3591/20130821/thai-police-seize-16-elephants-believed-smuggled-illegally-taken-wild.htm

Good story, except why would the rain make the sea dangerous? Did the ocean flood? lol

Inland flooding will result in rivers becoming torrents, and we all know, or we should know, all rivers run down to the sea. The result should be obvious, so the warning was very valid

I just love elephants I wish I could keep one...