Video: Worker filmed punching tiger at Thailand Tiger Temple

[cumgranosalum]

It seems a lot of people are expressing views on the Tiger Temple from a perspective clouded in ignorance - please, take time to READ this whole article by National Geographic, it will at least bring you up to speed on the current situation there...

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/01/160121-tiger-temple-thailand-trafficking-laos0/

Edited January 24, 2016 by cumgranosalum

[luckyman]

It amazes me that there are still people who defend the temple and its bogus claims.

Exactly !!!

Edwin Wieck of WFT ( wildlife friends foundation thailand) has been trying to shut them down and got arrested, there is so much money flowing into that temple, millions each month.

WFFT are involved in logistical support for the removal of the tigers. They were "sued" by the temple but the temple withdrew their action. He has also suffered raids by the authorities on his animal welfare sanctuary after exposing elephant poaching in Kaeng Krachan.

Repeated attempts to remove tigers from the temple have been thawted and various rulings by the authoritities hae been ignored or swept under the carpet - hence the "teflon temple"

All of this would indicate that there are very influential people in Thailand making lots of money out of various forms of wildlife exploitation. A high position in the dept of NP and Wildlife is a highly sort after posting.

The first complaints about the temple go back well over 10 years, in fact to its very inception. A combination of corruption and incredible naivity and ignorance by the western public has allowed this place not just to exist but expand exponentially year in year out. they now house about 150 tigers of indeterminate geneology and of no conservation value whatsoever.....a mess of their own making with the connivance and ignorance of the authorities and public.

as for income - the Nat Geo suggests "The enterprise is estimated to generate income equivalent to three million dollars a year."

Sadly, that is the truth you are telling and I am fully aware of this, I know Edwin and his lovely wife Noi personally since 2005 and he lives less than 30 minutes away from my home in Cha'am.

The most worrying part of the story is however, imho, that it is a temple where the abuse takes place, and 'buddhist' monks are involved.

[cumgranosalum]

It amazes me that there are still people who defend the temple and its bogus claims.

Exactly !!!

Edwin Wieck of WFT ( wildlife friends foundation thailand) has been trying to shut them down and got arrested, there is so much money flowing into that temple, millions each month.

WFFT are involved in logistical support for the removal of the tigers. They were "sued" by the temple but the temple withdrew their action. He has also suffered raids by the authorities on his animal welfare sanctuary after exposing elephant poaching in Kaeng Krachan.

Repeated attempts to remove tigers from the temple have been thawted and various rulings by the authoritities hae been ignored or swept under the carpet - hence the "teflon temple"

All of this would indicate that there are very influential people in Thailand making lots of money out of various forms of wildlife exploitation. A high position in the dept of NP and Wildlife is a highly sort after posting.

The first complaints about the temple go back well over 10 years, in fact to its very inception. A combination of corruption and incredible naivity and ignorance by the western public has allowed this place not just to exist but expand exponentially year in year out. they now house about 150 tigers of indeterminate geneology and of no conservation value whatsoever.....a mess of their own making with the connivance and ignorance of the authorities and public.

as for income - the Nat Geo suggests "The enterprise is estimated to generate income equivalent to three million dollars a year."

Sadly, that is the truth you are telling and I am fully aware of this, I know Edwin and his lovely wife Noi personally since 2005 and he lives less than 30 minutes away from my home in Cha'am.

The most worrying part of the story is however, imho, that it is a temple where the abuse takes place, and 'buddhist' monks are involved.

For me the most worrying aspect is the negative effect this place has on tiger conservation.

There are 11 countries in the world that have a wild tiger population....Thailand has around 200 in the wild - they are under threat from all sides and the ignorance and complacency expounded by the temple does nothing to help this.

Thailand is well on the way to the ignominious fate of being the next country to declare its wild tigers extinct.

it's about time those concerned sat up and smelled the coffee and put their house in order

[wow64]

We are so lucky there is a temple like this to help the Tigers of Thailand.

How else could a lucky tourist come and hug a tiger.

Keep up the great work Tiger Temple.

Sent from my c64

[cumgranosalum]

We are so lucky there is a temple like this to help the Tigers of Thailand.

How else could a lucky tourist come and hug a tiger.

Keep up the great work Tiger Temple.

Sent from my c64

Nice to see such an erudite and detailed rebuttal of the allegations, the poster obviously has a firm grasp of the situation that puts the rest of us in the shade.

[Skeptic7]

I hope unassuming westerners and tourists see the cruel way Thais treat animals over here and decide to avoid these type of places at all costs.

While i agree with your sentiment and appreciate your message, it is NOT just Thailand. This abusive behavior occurs in every country...including all Western countries. USA too. Animals...our fellow earthlings...are mistreated, abused, exploited and enslaved all around the world. EVERYWHERE...not just Thailand.

[cumgranosalum]

I hope unassuming westerners and tourists see the cruel way Thais treat animals over here and decide to avoid these type of places at all costs.

While i agree with your sentiment and appreciate your message, it is NOT just Thailand. This abusive behavior occurs in every country...including all Western countries. USA too. Animals...our fellow earthlings...are mistreated, abused, exploited and enslaved all around the world. EVERYWHERE...not just Thailand.

I strongly feel that citing the wrong-doings of other countries in no way justifies what is happening in Thailand .Furthermore Thailand IS different from places like Europe and America...the big difference being the LAW and ENFORCEMENT thereof.

If you a caught in Europe there are laws that govern the keeping and treatment of both domestic, captive and wild animals...no such laws exist in Thailand in fact the first laws in this area were introduced last year (or there about) and not only are they pretty limited they aren't enforced. The temple has ALREADY been found to have broken several laws but has so far remained completely untouched by any serious enforcement.

THere are cruel and exploitative people all over the world, but Thailand sticks its head way above the crowd in both attitude and enforcement.

[bigal2504]

How the government allows these magnificent animals to be tied and humiliated like this is a scandal. I just hope the tiger gets its revenge.I personally would like do the same to him.

[metisdead]

An off topic post has been removed.

[CantSpell]

Pity the Tiger did not take a CHUNK out of him.

They are drugged,....but, yes a pity.....

Again someone missing the point - there is no evidence to suggest they are drugged or not. It only shows that people are still getting sidetracked from the main issues.

There is no evidence that they are not....

Seen the guy plant that stick less than 1 meter in front the tiger while the other is punching him is evident enough in my book.

Even a circus animal would react in some way..

That tiger did not even move...

No idea why people must absolutely state that those tigers are not drugged...

And it is not been sidetracked... Would the tiger not be drugged, those 2 idiots would be long gone in front of that camera...

[cumgranosalum]

"There is no evidence that they are not...." - what??? do you realise what a ridiculous thing to say that is?

Just read the outline I posted on tiger behaviour - it is fairly clear you know little about them.

As said before if you really understood the issues surrounding the temple you would realise that drugging - confirmed or not is just a red-herring compared to the transgressions they is already evidence of.

Do you seriously think that if they were proved to be drugging the cats that this would be grounds to shut the place down??

you also try to make a false dichotomy - there is NOWHERE where anyone has catagorically said the tigers aren't drugged.

What you are doing is a bit like charging a a thief caught red-handed with his swag with a parking ticket when you don't even know if he has a car.

It has long been a problem that many people just don't seem to understand why the temple is such an undesirable and potentially harmful establishment - if they di the place would have less chance of continuing.

do you seriously think that if they were proved to be drugging the cats that this would be grounds to shut the place down??

Edited January 25, 2016 by cumgranosalum