(TH): The scandal of Elephant shows in Thailand

[Guest guest]

The scandal of " Elephant shows " in Thailand

 

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/world/thailand-elephants.html

 

Written by Gabrielle Nagle.

 

Thailand's Elephant Crisis

 

Anyone who's been to Thailand

will agree that elephants are a huge part of Thai culture. As the country's

national symbol and ideal snapshots of ‘exoticness’, elephants are essential

to

Thailand's

tourist trade. Visitors are absolutely bombarded by the elephant experiences on

offer when browsing tourist attractions; elephant shows and elephant trekking

draw in enormous numbers of travelers all searching for that 'authentic' and up

close interaction with these gentle giants, unobtainable back home with only

artificial

looking zoos on offer.

 

 

 

 

 

Torture Training Method

 

 

 

The disturbing and brutal reality that breeds these 'must see' elephant

attractions

is not widely known by tourists or Thais. The fact is that mahouts and elephant

trainers use what is known as the 'torture training method' to make these wild

creatures obedient and tourist friendly. This method involves tying or chaining

the elephant up in a confined pen that is too small for the animal to move.

True to its name, the elephant is then tortured constantly with beatings, often

involving sharp instruments, and left without food or water for days or even

weeks. This is designed to break the animal's spirit which it certainly

achieves, often taking its sanity too. Used for centuries to domesticate wild

elephants, the torture training method is still accepted as the only viable

training method for elephant handlers and is used in almost every elephant

attraction in Thailand.

 

 

 

THIS IS PARTLY TRUE; YES, THIS PRACTICE IS STILL DONE IN THAILAND BUT ALSO IN

INDIA

AND MANY OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND ASIA WHERE

ELEPHANTS ARE EXPLOITED, THE TORTURING PRACTICE TAKES PLACE WITH MOSTLY WILD

CAUGHT

ELEPHANTS AND NOT THE CAPTIVE BRED.  AT

THE SAME TIME THE STATEMENT THAT ELEPHANTS ARE BEING KEPT FROM DRINKING WATER

FOR DAYS OR EVEN WEEKS IS ABSOLUTE NONSENSE, THEY WOULD NOT SURVICE AN ORDEAL

LIKE THAT AT ALL.

 

 

 

Centuries of Abuse

 

 

 

Unlike the elephant populations of India

and Africa, 95% of Thailand's

elephants are domesticated working elephants. Furthermore, only wild elephants

have any legal protection in Thailand,

leaving the vast majority of Thai elephants vulnerable to abuse and neglect by

their owners. Deeply rooted in Thai culture, elephant training has

traditionally been a familial heritage passed down through the generations.

Domesticated elephants were often used for logging, which became illegal as

widespread destruction of Thailand's

forests resulted in worsening monsoons. This left hundreds of elephants out of

work and many were simply abandoned by their owners.

 

 

 

THIS PERCENTAGE OF 95% IS NOT RIGHT; THAILAND HAS 2400 REGISTERED

CAPTIVE ELEPHANTS AND AN ESTIMATED WILD POPULATION OF 2000. WE ARE THEREFORE

TALKING ABOUT A NUMBER WAY LESS THAN THAT.

 

THE NUMBER OF ABANDONDED ELEPHANTS CAN BE COUNTED ON ONE

HAND, FURTHERMORE THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT MONSOON WORSENED BECAUSE OF THE

LOGGING; THE DESTRUCTION OF FORESTS HOWEVER DUE TO LANDSLIDES DID GET WORSE.

 

 

 

Street begging elephants

 

 

 

Unable to survive in the wild, some died and many were used as tourist

attractions

or for street begging. Street begging elephants are dragged around cities in

chains by their owners who charge tourists to feed them. Needless to say the

elephants are clearly distressed by the traffic and noise and this practice

became illegal due to the traffic dangers posed, however street begging

elephants are still a common sight in Bangkok

and Chiang Mai. Unlike the mahouts that grew up around elephants and inherited

their profession, most of the elephant handlers operating today are

opportunists with little or no knowledge of the nature of elephants or what

they require to survive.

 

 

 

LOGGING BECAME ILLEGAL IN THE EARLY 80’S ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO

AND NO ELEPHANTS WERE LEFT TO DIE IN THE WILD AS SUGGESTED. MOST OF THE MAHOUTS

WITH THE “CITY ELEPHANTS†HOWEVER ARE STILL FROM FAMILIES THAT CARED FOR

ELEPHANTS FOR GENERATIONS, BUT HAVE SMELLED EASY MONEY. ALTHOUGH IT IS ILLEGAL

TO WALK WITH ELEPHANTS ON THE STREETS (I ALSO DID SEE THIS IN ASSAM, INDIA A

FEW YEARS AGO AND A FEW WEEKS AGO IN PHNOM PENH) THE MAHOUTS GET AWAY WITH IT

BY BRIBING OFFICIALS SUCH AS POLICE AND MUNICIPALITY PATROLS. WHEN THE LAWS ARE

ENFORCED THE FINE IS A MEAGER 500 BAHT (15 DOLLARS) ONLY.     

 

 

 

 It is possible to

visit the park for a day, or to stay for as long as a week or more to learn

about, and work with the elephants. The cost can be as little as US$340 for a

week including basic accommodation and all your meals.

 

 

 

A New Kind of Elephant Experience

 

 

 

The only hope elephants in Thailand

seem to have is a unique project called the Elephant Nature

Park, based in Chiang

Mai. The park serves as a sanctuary for sick and injured working elephants and

runs on donations. " Education is the key " explains Daeng Chaidee, the

park's representative. " Much like the western world forty years ago, there

is very little awareness about animal cruelty in Thailand. We host a number of

Thai

student groups and are starting to see more Thai support, but time is needed

before a general population consensus can be established " .

 

 

 

Avoid elephant shows and elephant trekking

 

 

 

In the meantime, what can we do to help improve the chilling situation

elephants face in Thailand?

Firstly don't encourage the brutal trade by endorsing elephant trekking or

elephant shows when visiting Thailand.

The Elephant Nature Park

is the only one of its kind, so it's safe to assume any other interactive

elephant attractions you see on offer in the country are part of the abuse and

exploitation elephants endure. Secondly you can help by supporting the work of

the Elephant Nature Park.

Daeng Chaidee adds " elephant lunches and health kits are always urgently

needed by the whole herd and can be bought on our website " .

 

 

 

THIS PARK IS NOT THE ONLY ONE IN THAILAND THAT CARES FOR ELEPHANTS;

THERE ARE OVER A DOZEN PLACES AROUND THE COUNTRY RUN BY SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS AND

NGO’S WHO ALL MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENT APPROACH, BUT SIMILAR OBJECTIVES.

 

 

 

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE WRITER ARE CLEAR TO ME, PAINTING A

DARK PICTURE TO GAIN SUPPORT FOR A PROJECT WITHOUT CHECKING ON THE FACTS.

 

 

 

--- On Sat, 27/12/08, Herojig <herojig wrote:

Herojig <herojig

Re: (TH): The scandal of „Elephant shows‰ in Thailand

" AZAM SIDDIQUI " <azam24x7, " AAPN List " <aapn >

Saturday, 27 December, 2008, 7:46 PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for that Azam, there is a rather large Facebook group (over

200) on

 

this topic, so u can go there and search for ³SAVE THE ELEPHANTS, STOP

 

STREET WALKING EXPLOITATION² - they are focusing on the practice of

 

dragging elephants thru the streets of BKK, mostly to tourist attractions,

 

to try and get people to buy them sugar cane or whatnot and charge 20 bht

 

for the privilege. Here is a poster from the photo library there, which I

 

thought to be of some interest:

 

 

 

http://photos- h.ak.fbcdn. net/photos- ak-snc1/v1817/ 205/47/140505706

6/n1405057066_ 169127_6266. jpg

 

 

 

On 12/27/08 5:41 PM, " AZAM SIDDIQUI " <azam24x7 (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:

 

 

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

> The scandal of " Elephant shows " in Thailand

 

> http://www.wildlife extra.com/ go/world/ thailand- elephants. html

 

> Written by Gabrielle Nagle.

 

>

 

> Thailand's Elephant Crisis

 

>

 

> Anyone who's been to Thailand will agree that elephants are a huge part of

 

> Thai culture. As the country's national symbol and ideal snapshots of

 

> 'exoticness' , elephants are essential to Thailand's tourist trade. Visitors

 

> are absolutely bombarded by the elephant experiences on offer when browsing

 

> tourist attractions; elephant shows and elephant trekking draw in enormous

 

> numbers of travellers all searching for that 'authentic' and up close

 

> interaction with these gentle giants, unobtainable back home with only

 

> artificial looking zoos on offer.

 

>

 

> Torture Training Method

 

>

 

> The disturbing and brutal reality that breeds these 'must see' elephant

 

> attractions is not widely known by tourists or Thais. The fact is that

 

> mahouts and elephant trainers use what is known as the 'torture training

 

> method' to make these wild creatures obedient and tourist friendly. This

 

> method involves tying or chaining the elephant up in a confined pen that is

 

> too small for the animal to move. True to its name, the elephant is then

 

> tortured constantly with beatings, often involving sharp instruments, and

 

> left without food or water for days or even weeks. This is designed to break

 

> the animal's spirit which it certainly achieves, often taking its sanity

 

> too. Used for centuries to domesticate wild elephants, the torture training

 

> method is still accepted as the only viable training method for elephant

 

> handlers and is used in almost every elephant attraction in Thailand.

 

>

 

> Centuries of Abuse

 

>

 

> Unlike the elephant populations of India and Africa, 95% of Thailand's

 

> elephants are domesticated working elephants. Furthermore, only wild

 

> elephants have any legal protection in Thailand, leaving the vast majority

 

> of Thai elephants vulnerable to abuse and neglect by their owners. Deeply

 

> rooted in Thai culture, elephant training has traditionally been a familial

 

> heritage passed down through the generations. Domesticated elephants were

 

> often used for logging, which became illegal as widespread destruction of

 

> Thailand's forests resulted in worsening monsoons. This left hundreds of

 

> elephants out of work and many were simply abandoned by their owners.

 

>

 

> Street begging elephants

 

>

 

> Unable to survive in the wild, some died and many were used as tourist

 

> attractions or for street begging. Street begging elephants are dragged

 

> around cities in chains by their owners who charge tourists to feed them.

 

> Needless to say the elephants are clearly distressed by the traffic and

 

> noise and this practice became illegal due to the traffic dangers posed,

 

> however street begging elephants are still a common sight in Bangkok and

 

> Chiang Mai. Unlike the mahouts that grew up around elephants and inherited

 

> their profession, most of the elephant handlers operating today are

 

> opportunists with little or no knowledge of the nature of elephants or what

 

> they require to survive.

 

>

 

> It is possible to visit the park for a day, or to stay for as long as a week

 

> or more to learn about, and work with the elephants. The cost can be as

 

> little as US$340 for a week including basic accommodation and all your

 

> meals.

 

>

 

> A New Kind of Elephant Experience

 

>

 

> The only hope elephants in Thailand seem to have is a unique project called

 

> the Elephant Nature Park, based in Chiang Mai. The park serves as a

 

> sanctuary for sick and injured working elephants and runs on donations.

 

> " Education is the key " explains Daeng Chaidee, the park's representative.

 

> " Much like the western world forty years ago, there is very little awareness

 

> about animal cruelty in Thailand. We host a number of Thai student groups

 

> and are starting to see more Thai support, but time is needed before a

 

> general population consensus can be established " .

 

>

 

> Avoid elephant shows and elephant trekking

 

>

 

> In the meantime, what can we do to help improve the chilling situation

 

> elephants face in Thailand? Firstly don't encourage the brutal trade by

 

> endorsing elephant trekking or elephant shows when visiting Thailand. The

 

> Elephant Nature Park is the only one of its kind, so it's safe to assume any

 

> other interactive elephant attractions you see on offer in the country are

 

> part of the abuse and exploitation elephants endure. Secondly you can help

 

> by supporting the work of the Elephant Nature Park. Daeng Chaidee adds

 

> " elephant lunches and health kits are always urgently needed by the whole

 

> herd and can be bought on our website " .

 

>

 

> Have a look at http://www.elephant naturepark. org/

 

 

 

-- Paul Reitman, CEO

 

Phoenix Studios Nepal

 

Mobile: 9841589797

 

 

 

www.phoenixstudios. com.np/corporate