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Poll: Phuket voters say no to animal tourism, entertainment



PHUKET: -- The vast majority of respondents to a recent Phuket News poll oppose animal captivity for the purposes of tourism and entertainment, with some 89 per cent declaring strong opposition to the practice.

A mahout sits on a bull elephant, waiting for paying tourists who want to take photos, feed and ride on the beast at an outpost near Patong.

A mahout sits on a bull elephant, waiting for paying tourists who want to take photos, feed and ride on the beast at an outpost near Patong.

The results should come as little surprise, considering controversial incidents in recent months involving captive animals, which included two fatal attacks by tourist-trecking elephants on their respective owners, a tiger mauling an Australian tourist while posing for a photo with it, as well as the construction developments of a widely-opposed dolphinarium project on the south of the island.

Click here for original poll story with links to related news.

The poll, which ran online from November 19 to December 5, asked the question: What’s your stance on the use of animals for Phuket’s entertainment and tourism industries?

Respondents were given five options, and here’s how they answered:

I’m absolutely against it. All animal shows and services should be banned. (89pc)

Some types of animal shows and services are okay, but not all of them. (8pc)

If there is a demand, then Phuket should supply, as long no laws are broken. (1pc)

Animal shows/services can be educational for children and tourists. (1pc)

Undecided/Neutral/Indifferent

A total of 542 votes were cast by three demographic categories – Thai nationals (30pc), Local expatriate residents (15pc) and Foreign visitors to Phuket (54pc).

Of the voters, Thais and foreign tourists were nearly unanimous in their extreme opposition to animal tourism, with 92 and 94pc choosing answer number 1.

This is compared to expats, of whom just 65pc voted against the practice. Of this category, 25pc said that some types of animal tourism were okay, and another 5pc voted for Phuket to continue to feed market demand.

Even with such a clear scope on public opinion, there is a whole lot of tourists and operators who likely didn’t vote to reflect their position of not being against the practice, and who continue to feed the demand throughout Phuket by supporting elephant trekking tours and photo ops, attending monkey and bird shows, among other itineraries which sustain this industry.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/poll-phuket-voters-say-no-to-animal-tourism-entertainment-50092.php


-- Phuket News 2014-12-12

[Costas2008]

And it is a big NO from me.

Animals are to live in their natural inhabitant.

Not to be paraded and used for the entertainment of humans.

I would have liked to see the people that think that this is acceptable to be paraded in chains or make tricks for the entertainment of others.

Do you think they would have liked it?

[Pomthai]

No from me too.

[LivinginKata]

No from me.

[nabbie]

No

[jpeg]

This is compared to expats, of whom just 65pc voted against the practice.

No surprise there, considering the number of pro cruelty to animal posts from 'wot's rong wiv eatin' dogz' 'poison the f3ckrs' to 'I'm a proud pro slaughterhouse kind of a chap' on this expat forum, you know, the ones who left their ethics/morality 'wos rong wiv shaggin upcountry peasants?' at the airport

[Bogan Koori]

Environmentalists generally dont last long in Phuket.

And these polls are useless because nothing ever gets done because Thais dont read the western news

[jpeg]

Environmentalists generally dont last long in Phuket.

And these polls are useless because nothing ever gets done because Thais dont read the western news

Agree with the first part of your post, but that appears to be changing, sa-lowly.

But,

Of the voters, Thais and foreign tourists were nearly unanimous in their extreme opposition to animal tourism

Who knew?

[Bogan Koori]

Yeah the 'Thais' are probably backpackers who are teaching English at Krajonkiet and living in a Phuket Town doss house. And after staying here for 6 months they probably consider themselves more Thai than Farang. Beleive me, I dont see queues of Thais waiting outside Julapan on the weekend for the Phuket News and Gazette

Edited December 12, 2014 by LivinginKata
screwed up quote corrected

[robertthebruce]

Definetly a ''NO NO'' from me...

Hate to see all this animal abuse.....

Please THAILAND move into the 21ST CENTURY....

[jpeg]

Definetly a ''NO NO'' from me...

Hate to see all this animal abuse.....

Please THAILAND move into the 21ST CENTURY

Nice, but, apart from posting on a site directed at the expat demographic ( ), (pretty pointless), what else are you doing about it?

[iReason]

"A mahout sits on a bull elephant, waiting for paying tourists who want to take photos, feed and ride on the beast at an outpost near Patong."

Some mutt sitting your head all day... (see photo)

And oh yes, put me in the 89%

[Valentine]

Environmentalists generally dont last long in Phuket.

And these polls are useless because nothing ever gets done because Thais dont read the western news

"Only" 30% of the votes cast were from Thais who apparently do not read western news. "Backpackers" who consider themselves Thais!!!

[kurnell]

Ever been to an elephant show, where the audience is full of Thais? They can't get enough of it. Thais just think that farangs are the same.

[Jonmarleesco]

The tourists need to walk the walk, not simply talk the talk.

[phuketjock]

I have lived and worked in South America (Chile ), west Africa and China and I have seen

animals in all those countries used and abused by humans to make a living, donkeys, yaks

and oxen and I am fairly sure India, Spain, and greece are little different. Compared to the

above animals the Elephants in Thailand are fairly well taken care of, some of you need to

get out and see what actually goes on in the rest of the world. Then you may be less critical

of animal care in Thailand, but I would put my money on no change of attitued by many of

you...............................