Lampang: - Friends of Asian Elephant yesterday organised a spiritual ceremony to bid farewell to elephant cow Phang Kaeo Kham before mercy killing following six-month terminal illness.

FAE chairwoman Soraida Sawala said the ceremony was a northern tradition for harmonious ties between elephant and mahout.

Mahout Boonyong Boonthiam conducted the ceremony aimed at asking forgiveness for mercy killing from the spirits world and sending off the sick elecphant into the afterlife.

The elephant, 47, was admitted in November at the FAE Hospital, the world's first elephant hospital, after showing symptoms of occasional inability to stand up, leaning to a pillar for support and drooping trunk.

The veterinarian team diagnosed the illness as an infection of clostridium perfringens.

The infection is a kind of food poisoning caused the the bacteria from the same family that causes tetanus. In the elephant's case, the infection was through food digestion rather than open wound.

For months, the elephant did not respond well to the treatments. The bacteria continued to thrive in the blood stream destroying the central nervous system.

Before opting for mercy killing, the elephant could no longer stand with or without the support.

Veterinarian Preecha Phuangkham said the bacteria infection is lethal and a leading cause of death for elephants in Thailand.

From 2008 to this year, some five elephants had died of clostridium perfringens infection, Preecha said.

He reminded elephant owners and mahouts to always ensure the cleanliness of elephant pen and to feed the elephant with quality grass and greens.

The bacteria is in the soil and the feeding area, he said, adding that dirty pen and dirty feeding area would cause the elephant to get sick.

Good work with the ending of suffering but why did they wait 6 months ?

Good work with the ending of suffering but why did they wait 6 months ?

Because the vets were trying to cure it, obviously.

I'm always amazed when humans treat animals with more compassion and dignity than other humans.

If you're a human with a terminal illness in Thailand, best of luck getting even rudimentary pallative care. They don't want to give terminally ill patients morphine because that person may become an 'addict' (God-forbid) or get an overdose and die a peaceful death (Buddha-forbid).

Poor old girl. Probably a fighter to the end. Sad when these grand animals die, at least without pain and with respect.

First time I have heard of the FAEs good work. Must find out more about them. I get quite vocal with these idiots that walk baby elephants around the tourist traps. The hard road surfaces ruin their feet and cause them pain. All for a couple of bananas and few baht.

Yor better off as chaing then as human in Thailand.

Just out of curiosity, what do vets use to euthanise an elephant? And how much?

(No, i don't have anybody in mind!)

It was sad to see that Elephant Phang Kaeo Kham was put to sleep because of illness, however what a beautiful service for her , Kham, thank you for your beautiful presence here on Earth . R.I.P.

Poor old girl. Probably a fighter to the end. Sad when these grand animals die, at least without pain and with respect.

First time I have heard of the FAEs good work. Must find out more about them. I get quite vocal with these idiots that walk baby elephants around the tourist traps. The hard road surfaces ruin their feet and cause them pain. All for a couple of bananas and few baht.

Depends what you call with out pain