Guest guest Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 Hi Merrit, I just received your latest Animal People newspaper today and did see the picture of the elephant on the front page. I wonder why you called the elephant a " Bangkok Taxi Elephant " . I guess you mean begging tool or begging elephant as these creatures are not at all used to transport people. There has been some heated discussion on the elephant polo that used to be played in Hua-hin, a city 30 kilometers from our rescue center. After protests to the local municipality for several years it was moved to the north of Thailand where people do not seem to care as much about animal welfare as it is more up-country than the area here. Stopping elephant polo is not a priority in Thailand as so many other much worse issues might need to be addressed first. With best regards, Edwin Wiek Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand 108 moo 6, Tambon Thamairuak Amphoe Thayang 76130 Petchaburi THAILAND Tel/Fax: +66-32-458135 Mobile +66-90600906 Web: www.wfft.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 >I just received your latest Animal People newspaper today and did see the >picture of the elephant on the front page. I wonder why you called the >elephant a " Bangkok Taxi Elephant " . I guess you mean begging tool or begging >elephant as these creatures are not at all used to transport people. I meant taxi elephant. If the elephant did not at least occasionally transport people, there would be no need for the howdah behind the mahout. Photographer Antoni P. Uni has posted the photo sequence from which the cover photo and an interior photo both came at-- <http://www.flickr.com/photos/toni_uni/sets/72157603251277034/>http://www.flickr\ ..com/photos/toni_uni/sets/72157603251277034/ The web page identifies all of the elephants shown as " begging elephants, " but they don't all show the same thing. The elephants in about half of the photos are wearing howdahs and are actively cruising the streets in places where fares might be found. The elephants in the other half are not wearing howdahs, and are only begging. -- Merritt Clifton Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE P.O. Box 960 Clinton, WA 98236 Telephone: 360-579-2505 Fax: 360-579-2575 E-mail: anmlpepl Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org [ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide, founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations. We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year; for free sample, send address.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 Hi Merrit, The mahouts put up the seats to store the food they try to sell every night. The fact that it looks empty might mean that it was late at night and they had run out of food to sell. They sell small bags of bananas for 20 Baht and these bags are usually kept on top of the howdah. We have never seen anyone take a taxi ride through the streets of Bangkok and I think if that would happen the elephants would be very soon off the streets. Edwin _____ aapn [aapn ] On Behalf Of Merritt Clifton Saturday, 19 January, 2008 16:50 aapn Re: Animal People Nov-Dec issue >I just received your latest Animal People newspaper today and did see the >picture of the elephant on the front page. I wonder why you called the >elephant a " Bangkok Taxi Elephant " . I guess you mean begging tool or begging >elephant as these creatures are not at all used to transport people. I meant taxi elephant. If the elephant did not at least occasionally transport people, there would be no need for the howdah behind the mahout. Photographer Antoni P. Uni has posted the photo sequence from which the cover photo and an interior photo both came at-- <http://www.flickr. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/toni_uni/sets/72157603251277034/> com/photos/toni_uni/sets/72157603251277034/>http://www.flickr. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/toni_uni/sets/72157603251277034/> com/photos/toni_uni/sets/72157603251277034/ The web page identifies all of the elephants shown as " begging elephants, " but they don't all show the same thing. The elephants in about half of the photos are wearing howdahs and are actively cruising the streets in places where fares might be found. The elephants in the other half are not wearing howdahs, and are only begging. -- Merritt Clifton Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE P.O. Box 960 Clinton, WA 98236 Telephone: 360-579-2505 Fax: 360-579-2575 E-mail: anmlpepl (AT) whidbey (DOT) <anmlpepl%40whidbey.com> com Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org [ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide, founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations. We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year; for free sample, send address.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 > We have never seen anyone take a taxi ride through the streets of Bangkok and I think if that would happen the elephants would be very soon off the streets.< Just wanted to know why elephants would be taken off the streets if found ferrying humans as a 'taxi' , and no action taken when used as a 'truck' ferrying food for sale. Are we talking of making the rules safer for humans of Bangkok or the captive elephants on the streets, or both? Azam On Jan 20, 2008 9:36 AM, Edwin Wiek <edwin.wiek wrote: > Hi Merrit, > > The mahouts put up the seats to store the food they try to sell every > night. > The fact that it looks empty might mean that it was late at night and they > had run out of food to sell. They sell small bags of bananas for 20 Baht > and > these bags are usually kept on top of the howdah. > > We have never seen anyone take a taxi ride through the streets of Bangkok > and I think if that would happen the elephants would be very soon off the > streets. > > Edwin > > _____ > > aapn <aapn%40> [ > aapn <aapn%40>] On Behalf Of > Merritt Clifton > Saturday, 19 January, 2008 16:50 > aapn <aapn%40> > Re: Animal People Nov-Dec issue > > > >I just received your latest Animal People newspaper today and did see the > >picture of the elephant on the front page. I wonder why you called the > >elephant a " Bangkok Taxi Elephant " . I guess you mean begging tool or > begging > >elephant as these creatures are not at all used to transport people. > > I meant taxi elephant. If the elephant did not at least > occasionally transport people, there would be no need for the howdah > behind the mahout. > > Photographer Antoni P. Uni has posted the photo sequence from > which the cover photo and an interior photo both came at-- > > <http://www.flickr. > <http://www.flickr.com/photos/toni_uni/sets/72157603251277034/> > com/photos/toni_uni/sets/72157603251277034/>http://www.flickr. > <http://www.flickr.com/photos/toni_uni/sets/72157603251277034/> > com/photos/toni_uni/sets/72157603251277034/ > > The web page identifies all of the elephants shown as > " begging elephants, " but they don't all show the same thing. > > The elephants in about half of the photos are wearing howdahs > and are actively cruising the streets in places where fares might be > found. > > The elephants in the other half are not wearing howdahs, and > are only begging. > > -- > Merritt Clifton > Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE > P.O. Box 960 > Clinton, WA 98236 > > Telephone: 360-579-2505 > Fax: 360-579-2575 > E-mail: anmlpepl (AT) whidbey (DOT) <anmlpepl%40whidbey.com> com > Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org > > [ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing > original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide, > founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the > decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations. > We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year; > for free sample, send address.] > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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