Scores of street elephants saved by Surin help project

[Lite Beer]

Scores of street elephants saved by Surin help project

SURIN, 19 September 2015 (NNT) – The local administrative organization of Surin Province says its campaign to help beggar elephants has become a success, securing jobs for more than 70 elephants and mahouts.

The Chief of Surin Provincial Administrative Organization and Director of the Elephant Study Center, Kraisak Woratat, says the project was launched in 2006 in order to improve the quality of life of elephants, many of which were forced to beg for money and food in big cities. The project was designed to rebuild the image of sections of the tourism industry tainted by the neglect of elephants.

An elephant study center was set up in Tha Tum district to collect roaming elephants and their mahouts from different provinces. All the mahouts now receive salaries while the jumbos are trained to join in cultural and entertainment activities. The project has saved 73 elephants from street begging.

A budget of 23 million baht has been spent on the project. The chief of the Elephant Study Center said the center would continue to save pachyderms from neglect and abuse.

-- NNT 2015-09-19

[isanbirder]

Some begging elephants are still begging. I saw a couple in Krasang last week.

Clearly these poor animals can't be sent back to the forests where they belong, but I object to the apparent rewarding of their so-called mahouts.

Edited September 19, 2015 by isanbirder

[Toknarok]

Quote....the jumbos are trained to join in cultural and entertainment activities.

What do they mean by this? And what are the methods used in training? Not the use of those vile bill hooks that you see the mahoots carrying I hope.

Many of the 'entertainments' provided for tourists such as handstanding and running obstacle courses are degrading these beautiful animals.

[circusman]

Quote....the jumbos are trained to join in cultural and entertainment activities.

What do they mean by this? And what are the methods used in training? Not the use of those vile bill hooks that you see the mahoots carrying I hope.

Many of the 'entertainments' provided for tourists such as handstanding and running obstacle courses are degrading these beautiful animals.

the term is bull hooks. Male elephants are bulls. These are vile instruments. When no one is watching they are used for making pain if the elephant is too slow in doing what has been ordered. With my own eye i speak.

[rapom]

Quote....the jumbos are trained to join in cultural and entertainment activities.

What do they mean by this? And what are the methods used in training? Not the use of those vile bill hooks that you see the mahoots carrying I hope.

Many of the 'entertainments' provided for tourists such as handstanding and running obstacle courses are degrading these beautiful animals.

Come to Surin Nov 21 & 22 and see for yourself. I think you will be impressed. See the parade on Saturday, of over 200 elephants in costume. For football fans, they have slow play elephant soccer.