Thailand's Mahouts fear losing their elephants

[webfact]

NATIONAL
Mahouts fear losing their elephants
PONGPHON SARNSAMAK
THE NATION
AYUTTHAYA



Oppose govt move to tackle poaching of beasts from wild, illegal trade in Babes

BANGKOK: -- IT WOULD be hard for a 45-year-old mahout from Surin to give up his precious cow elephant - but that might be necessary if a new wildlife-protection law is enacted.

"I would lose my mind. It would be terrible for me," Watcharapong Mohom, who has been living with 21-year-old elephant La Aung Dow for more than 10 years in Tha Lat village of Chumphon Buri's Tambon Sri Narong, said last week.

La Aung Dow is like a sister to Watcharapong. He has taken care of her since she was born. He inherited her from his father.

Every day, he has to feed her bales of bananas, sugarcane and grass. He also has to wash and scrub her.

"We speak different languages but we can communicate and understand each other," he said.

"When I tell her to sleep, she sleeps. When I tell her to run, she runs."

Unlike other jumbos, La Aung Dow can swim and has won several competitions during the past two years. She also helps him to make money.

He takes her on walks around nearby villages. When someone asks permission to crawl under her belly, Watcharapong gets Bt99. In Thai culture, some people believe that passing under an elephant brings good luck. Sometimes people would ask him to take his elephant to an auspicious ceremony such as a wedding or the ordination of a monk, as they believe a pachyderm would make their lives better.

He earns about Bt5,000-Bt10,000 from each charter depending on the distance.

He used to take his elephant across the border to Laos to attend auspicious activities.

The mahout's income from his elephant averages about Bt10,000 per month.

"That is enough to take care of my family," the father of two said.

In his village, about 70 domesticated elephants are kept by mahouts. All of them have been registered with the Interior Ministry for an identification certificate. They were also embedded with microchips to prove that they are domesticated and also to show their location.

A mahout from the same village, Bunleu Yiat-Lam, 30, also owns a cow elephant named Bunlai. She has been living with Bunleu for 20 years.

"I have known her since I was born. She has already become one of the family," he said.

He will take his jumbo around Isaan to make money from people desiring her presence at auspicious ceremonies.

Last week, Watcharapong and Bunleu travelled from their hometown to meet up with the hundreds of mahouts from across the country gathered at Ayutthaya's elephant corral to protest against the government's attempt to regulate domesticated elephants by revising the Wild Animals Preservation and Protection Act of 1992. The revision is currently undergoing public hearings and is expected to be deliberated by Parliament soon.

The amendment, proposed by the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, aims to prevent the poaching and illegal trade of elephants. During the past few years, many wild elephants in Thailand have been poached and domesticated, with some mahouts forging ID certificates.

Thailand currently has two legal statuses for elephants - domesticated and wild.

Domesticated elephants are listed under the Draught Animal Act. They are required to get an ID and register with the Interior Ministry.

Wild elephants are fully protected by the Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act. The exploitation of wild elephants, specimens, parts and derivatives is strictly prohibited.

If the amendment is passed, domesticated elephants would be listed as wild animals under the supervision of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

Some proposed measures would allow officials to confiscate elephants if they find that their ID does not match their physical characteristics.

Watcharapong agreed with the government's taking legal action against those who catch wild elephants for commercial purposes. But domesticated elephants, which are a family's property, should belong to the owners, he said.


-- The Nation 2013-10-28

[CelticBhoy]

"Unlike other jumbos, La Aung Dow can swim"

All elephants can swim. All of them.

[noitom]

Thai elite investor and business class privileged folks will have to start finding new trades for their Thai brethren.

[JoeThePoster]

Deleted

Edited October 28, 2013 by JoeThePoster

[ratcatcher]

"He will take his jumbo around Isaan to make money from people desiring her presence at auspicious ceremonies."

Does he have a large truck or does he make the poor damned elephant walk along the highways between Surin & Nonghkai?

[soi41]

Is this how we want to see those intelligent and beautiful animals??

Hate to see begging elephants in the streets>

Remember animals are here with us not for us!!

[asdecas]

"Oppose govt move to tackle poaching of beasts from wild, illegal trade in Babes"

Can anyone explain the meaning of "Babes" in the context of an article about elephants?

[h90]

Using elephants for working is OK...how many Thailand would need 100?

Elephants for entertainment: No

[NomadJoe]

Some traditions need to change, and the institutionalized exploitation of elephants in Thailand is one of them.

In order to "break" a baby elephant, they are severely abused by their mahout until they learn to obey. It's horrific. Never participate in any activities involving captive animals in Thailand. They are treated only slightly better than Burmese people, which is saying a lot.

Taking video of the ritualistic abuse is forbidden, so it's surprising one exists.

Warning: Graphic Content

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU4j02SrxM4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU4j02SrxM4

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/world/thailand-elephants.html#cr

http://www.wfft.org/elephants/elephant-exploitation-in-thailand-by-aaa/

Edited October 28, 2013 by NomadJoe

[Alwyn]

"Oppose govt move to tackle poaching of beasts from wild, illegal trade in Babes"

Can anyone explain the meaning of "Babes" in the context of an article about elephants?

Yes. The babes in the beer bars of Pattaya resemble baby elephants and their memory is as good as an elephant, they can remember peoples bank account details from all over the World as if by magic

[NomadJoe]

"Oppose govt move to tackle poaching of beasts from wild, illegal trade in Babes"

Can anyone explain the meaning of "Babes" in the context of an article about elephants?

Baby elephants.

[MILT]

Some traditions need to change, and the institutionalized exploitation of elephants in Thailand is one of them.

In order to "break" a baby elephant, they are severely abused by their mahout until they learn to obey. It's horrific. Never participate in any activities involving captive animals in Thailand. They are treated only slightly better than Burmese people, which is saying a lot.

Taking video of the ritualistic abuse is forbidden, so it's surprising one exists.

Warning: Graphic Content

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU4j02SrxM4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU4j02SrxM4

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/world/thailand-elephants.html#cr

http://www.wfft.org/elephants/elephant-exploitation-in-thailand-by-aaa/

This practice is used for the elephants that will be logging. Most elephant camps in the North do not use this type of training with their "domesticated" elephants. the elephant training center in LamPang is a great example and do not use this type of PaJaan

[bigbamboo]

I bet the elephants don't feel the same way about losing their mahouts.

[Loles]

BUT may be the elephants don't fear at all losing their mahouts. I guess.

[bangon04]

" In Thai culture, some people believe that passing under an elephant brings good luck"

unless the elephant decides to sit down at the same time.

[JulesMad]

"Unlike other jumbos, La Aung Dow can swim" All elephants can swim. All of them.

This one is different; he is swimming free-style (front crawl) and thus he is the fastest elephant in the world

[SjaakNL2013]

Very sad to see that movie. Elephants don't belong in cities. I hope that more cities copy the Bangkok law that forbid to come with elephants in the city borders.

Leave those animals where they belong... in woods

[nisakiman]

Remember animals are here with us not for us!!

Vegetarian, are you?

[marcusd]

There is less space for all creatures because of man. I live in Chiang Mai and have been to elephant camps where I witnessed free roaming elephants running to the mahouks like kiddies playing. So with their long memories I would say they were being treated well.

Sent from my RM-892_apac_laos_thailand_219 using Tapatalk

[SunsetT]

It makes me angry to see them being dragged from bar to bar,especially the babies, on busy streets at night in Udon Thani by 3 or 4 strapping young lads, when there is so much work available for them now, especially in construction. The lads that is, not the elephants. There is absolutely no need for it.

Edited October 28, 2013 by SunsetT

[jsflynn603]

Very sad to see that movie. Elephants don't belong in cities. I hope that more cities copy the Bangkok law that forbid to come with elephants in the city borders.

Leave those animals where they belong... in woods

Elephants in cities are likely to be infected, along with their mahouts--with tuberculosis which can and is transmitted to those around the elephant.

To bring an elephant to the city is a death sentence for the elephant and possibly for the mahout--and even for those feeding the elephant (though being around an elephant who coughs is a more likely mode of transmission.

For a good view of the "fate" of a TB infected elephant see:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-from-news/286402/tb-infected-elephants-who-did-it

Bangkok instituted a high fine for tourists feeding elephants for this reason but I doubt it is effective.

See: http://scandasia.com/6785-feed-bangkok-elephants-and-be-fined/ (10,000 baht fine--but I doubt one has ever been payed)

Yes, elephants can transmit TB to humans:

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/17/3/10-1668_article.htm

American circus elephants are also susceptible to TB:

http://www.oregonzoo.org/news/2013/06/rama-elephant-being-treated-tuberculosis

Is this case Rama who is infected is not considered to be a risk to visitors but I suspect that you are not allowed to get close, or to feed him. To hand a banana to an infected elephant can easily leave the tourist with tuberculosis bacteria on their hands from trunk fluid. Though again, it is aerosolized bacteria from a cough, that is breathed into the lungs that is the predominant mode of transmission.

The elephant camps around Chiang mai, as far as I know, are well cared for and I would trust them and I suspect that they culture trunk fluid of each animal yearly.

I'd never, ever feed a city elephant.

They are grand creatures.

Edited October 28, 2013 by jsflynn603

[Lucie]

I bet the elephants don't feel the same way about losing their mahouts.

Actually the close bond is a 2-way thing. Obviously there are cases where elephants are mistreated, but usually the bond between an elephant and its mahout is lifelong, and very close.

[bigbamboo]

I bet the elephants don't feel the same way about losing their mahouts.

Actually the close bond is a 2-way thing. Obviously there are cases where elephants are mistreated, but usually the bond between an elephant and its mahout is lifelong, and very close.

Like a kidnapper and it's hostage?

Of course all cannot be tarred with the same brush but abusing an elephant for profit is disgusting.

[h90]

I bet the elephants don't feel the same way about losing their mahouts.

Actually the close bond is a 2-way thing. Obviously there are cases where elephants are mistreated, but usually the bond between an elephant and its mahout is lifelong, and very close.

Like a kidnapper and it's hostage?

Of course all cannot be tarred with the same brush but abusing an elephant for profit is disgusting.

stockholm syndrom

[biplanebluey]

"Oppose govt move to tackle poaching of beasts from wild, illegal trade in Babes"

Can anyone explain the meaning of "Babes" in the context of an article about elephants?

Ummmmm--------- Baby elephants !!!!!!!! --------- Whats the problem?????