Elephant at Pattaya tourist attraction dies after being spooked by fireworks

[webfact]

Elephant at Pattaya tourist attraction dies after being spooked by fireworks
By Coconuts Bangkok


Samruai’s mahout had a funeral for her at Bang Lamung Temple in Pattaya. Photo: Pattaya News

PATTAYA: -- A female elephant entertaining tourists in Pattaya died on Saturday after becoming sick from the shock of New Year’s Eve fireworks.

Fifty-year-old Samruai, who worked at the Sanctuary of Truth, started showing signs of sickness a month ago.

After someone sought help from animal charity Fund for Animal, she was discovered by voluntary veterinarians in a coma.

Her mahout, only identified as Suriya, said he and his wife brought Samruai from Surin several years ago to work in Pattaya and earn money from giving rides to tourists.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/02/08/elephant-pattaya-tourist-attraction-dies-after-being-spooked-fireworks

-- Coconuts Bangkok 2016-02-08

[thaiduncankk]

Sad, and also horribly cruel to 'work' them as they do.

They should all be left to live in their natural environment.

[fakename]

So, it was the fireworks that killed the elephant? Nothing to do with age and a hard life in Pattaya?

[Buddumber]

Sad, and also horribly cruel to 'work' them as they do.

They should all be left to live in their natural environment.

yeah just like the dogs send them all back to the wilderness far away from people

[Buddumber]

elephant looks pregnant

could be just bloating from gas after dead.

Edited February 8, 2016 by Buddumber

[JHolmesJr]

Raise your Changs for Samruai.

[Wildliferescue]

Story is incorrect.

The elephant was found heavily dehydrated on Friday night and could not stand up, a special team of wildlife and elephant vets and rescuers was not allowed to help the elephant to medicate and re-hydrate the elephant, instead she was loaded on to a truck by a crane with ropes instead of special tools that were available. The team that did this had zero experience with elephants. Although she was too dehydrated and weak to travel she was send on a 10 hour ride on the back of a ten-wheel truck. She died 5 hours after leaving on the back of this truck. The owners decided to return with her dead body to Pattaya, as they had no permit to move her to Surin, dead or alive.

Edwin Wiek

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand.

[Basil B]

So what has it to do with fireworks???

If they exploit these animals they should at least provide veterinary care.

This is sad...

Edited February 8, 2016 by Basil B

[SidJames]

Story is incorrect.

The elephant was found heavily dehydrated on Friday night and could not stand up, a special team of wildlife and elephant vets and rescuers was not allowed to help the elephant to medicate and re-hydrate the elephant, instead she was loaded on to a truck by a crane with ropes instead of special tools that were available. The team that did this had zero experience with elephants. Although she was too dehydrated and weak to travel she was send on a 10 hour ride on the back of a ten-wheel truck. She died 5 hours after leaving on the back of this truck. The owners decided to return with her dead body to Pattaya, as they had no permit to move her to Surin, dead or alive.

Edwin Wiek

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand.

Thank you Edwin.

Breaks my heart to see the way some of these elephants are treated.

I went on a ride once by Budda Mountain with my children & the older 'gent' who was riding/guiding the elephant was to drunk to stand straight.

I don't know enough to really understand how they are supposed to use those sticks with the metal hooks but they look brutal to my eye.

[Smokin Joe]

Story is incorrect.

The elephant was found heavily dehydrated on Friday night and could not stand up, a special team of wildlife and elephant vets and rescuers was not allowed to help the elephant to medicate and re-hydrate the elephant, instead she was loaded on to a truck by a crane with ropes instead of special tools that were available. The team that did this had zero experience with elephants. Although she was too dehydrated and weak to travel she was send on a 10 hour ride on the back of a ten-wheel truck. She died 5 hours after leaving on the back of this truck. The owners decided to return with her dead body to Pattaya, as they had no permit to move her to Surin, dead or alive.

Edwin Wiek

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand.

A much more believable explanation.

But blaming it on fireworks is better than saying it was due to mis-treatment and lack of proper medical care.

[chaiyapoon]

Wow,actually get to hear what is more like the truth for once instead of the spin and total rubbish from the local press.

[mrrizzla]

Story is incorrect.

The elephant was found heavily dehydrated on Friday night and could not stand up, a special team of wildlife and elephant vets and rescuers was not allowed to help the elephant to medicate and re-hydrate the elephant, instead she was loaded on to a truck by a crane with ropes instead of special tools that were available. The team that did this had zero experience with elephants. Although she was too dehydrated and weak to travel she was send on a 10 hour ride on the back of a ten-wheel truck. She died 5 hours after leaving on the back of this truck. The owners decided to return with her dead body to Pattaya, as they had no permit to move her to Surin, dead or alive.

Edwin Wiek

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand.

Ahhh so Chinese new year fireworks were a convenient excuse to cover up their gross maltreatment of this elephant.

I am hoping someone does prison time for this, bah, who am I kidding?

[Basil B]

In many countries animal welfare organisations actually initiate prosecutions for animal neglect and cruelty.

Here anyone who speaks out about it faces charges of deformation.

In a perfect world the owners/mangers/mahouts of the elephant and the zoo/circus would be barred from keeping and working with animals for life.

Edited February 8, 2016 by Basil B

[Emster23]

Story is incorrect.

The elephant was found heavily dehydrated on Friday night and could not stand up, a special team of wildlife and elephant vets and rescuers was not allowed to help the elephant to medicate and re-hydrate the elephant, instead she was loaded on to a truck by a crane with ropes instead of special tools that were available. The team that did this had zero experience with elephants. Although she was too dehydrated and weak to travel she was send on a 10 hour ride on the back of a ten-wheel truck. She died 5 hours after leaving on the back of this truck. The owners decided to return with her dead body to Pattaya, as they had no permit to move her to Surin, dead or alive.

Edwin Wiek

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand.

Hmmm so we are getting lied to by "sanctuary of truth"? Sounds about right. Wonder if any of this will get to Thai press, or will fear of defamation suit lead them to keep mouths shut?

[crickets]

Thai are awsome at making up stories. Firework sound killing an elephant? Rubbish.

[Ulic]

The elephant was 53 years old, I think it had experienced fireworks before. More likely

poor care. Bur always better to blame something else that you cant control like fireworks.

[chickenslegs]

Not defending animal mistreatment, cruelty, or neglect, but 53 years seems to be a reasonably good old age for an Asian elephant - especially one in captivity - according to National Geographic and other sources.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/12/081211-zoo-elephants_2.html

Reason for edit: Splelnig.

Edited February 8, 2016 by chickenslegs

[SidJames]

You may well be right chickenlegs but then surely all the more reason to treat this fine old lady with a bit of dignity.

She appears to have suffered awfully in har last days.hours if our friend Edwin has hold of the full facts & believe that he has