Tiger Temple.......Kanchanaburi Province

[richard]

I remember going to this place in 2000 when it was just a temple with a few resident tigers sitting with the monks with the odd bit of wild life grazing it it's surrounds. I've been a couple of times since (with family and guests) and it has gone from being a simple haven for rescued wild life to a full blown commercial rip off joint.

I'm sure many of you long timers here on HHF will have been too

http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/lea ... egal-bears

[Big Boy]

We were passing one day, so we thought we'd take a quick look. Well, it was a quick look - one look at the rip-off prices, and we were on our way again.

How a temple can justify charging outrageous admission in Thailand where many families have to survive on 300 Baht/day is beyond me. Monks do their alms rounds, so aren't in need of anything, so what is the money for?

Chief Abbot or managing director?

[usual suspect]

As the stories about the T.T. start to filter thru'..my mind wanders a little to similar stories I've read on here about the Hua Hin Safari place South of town...it always comes down to money, money,money..& as ever the poor animals are the pawns in the game...very sad.
(I wonder how long the H.H. Safari place will stay open thru' Low season'..& how much longer those poor animals there have to suffer with no shade..? It's so damn cruel!)

[richard]

Chief Abbot or managing director?

Same same but different

[Vital Spark]

A truly dreadful, dreadful place. Don't go there. We had a friend staying who loves tigers, so (reluctantly) we made a visit. The ticket office didn't like the colour of my T-shirt, so I had to buy one of their over-priced ones so that I didn't frighten the 'wild' tigers. No chance of that! The poor things looked so doped up, I doubt if they would've flinched if a live chicken was dangled in front of them. We were herded into a safe area (surrounded by a wall knee high) to watch the tigers being led past us by obviously ignorant handlers, who thought it funny to keep pulling the tigers' tails to get some kind of reaction. A horrible experience all round.

VS

[BOZ]

Wow, we were just up to the Bridge on the River Kwai... So I thought it would be really neat to go see the tigers.. Some how my wife got the temples confused and we were 60KM south of it when we figured it out, that is 60KM closer to home so we blew it off... Sounds like I should be glad we did... Sad to hear these facts!!!

[stretch]

money talks being none thai would not bother as just a rip off for the tourists

[joelle]

I am appalled that an Australian vet like Chris Brown from Bondi vet supports that sort of place in one of his travelling documents while in Thailand
such place should be banned, but we are in Thailand and ... money, money, money ...
I feel so sorry for these wild animals, specially the cubs being passed on from arms to arms ruining their health and growth

[Nereus]

I am appalled that an Australian vet like Chris Brown from Bondi vet supports that sort of place in one of his travelling documents while in Thailand.................

Are you sure about that? I watch that program(when it is not being overtaken by you know who), and the program that I watched was of Animal Refuge Thailand(WFFT), run by Edwin Wiek not far from Hua Hin.

[Gregjam]

No surprise it is in the news today as the authorities remove protected species and mention removal of some of the tigers later.

[joelle]

in reply to nereus
on youtube : Bondi Vet (Chris Brown) at the Tiger Temple

[Takiap]

For what it's worth, I've just read that six Asian Black Bears have been removed from the temple and have been placed in shelters. Authorities are are now apparently busy with the final preparations for removing all 146 tigers from the temple as well.

Some will be sold or donated to zoos; some will be kept at various wildlife centers, while a small number will be released back into the wild. According to the article, each tiger costs around 7,000 baht per month for food and care.


Thought: I wonder if this is being done for the sake of the tigers, or is it being done in order to shut down the temple's cash cow?

[centermid7]

Would a reputable zoo take these poor creatures? I would be a bit surprised.

Release a small number, or even any, back into the wild would be a certain quick death.

Wildlife sanctuaries are probably not equipped to handle this either for either funds or resources.

But not to worry. Whomever hands these hands these animals are being transferred to, if indeed true, will be quick to transfer them again and wash their hands of it. Outta sight, outta mind.

Shameful!

[buksida]

Effort to remove tigers from Tiger Temple to new homes continues
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Preservation continued with its effort to negotiate with the abbot of the Tiger Temple or known officially as Wat Pa Luang Ta Maha Bua in Saiyok district of Kanchanaburi to remove all the tiger population from the temple to new homes.

However this latest effort might be failed again when the abbot won’t be ready for the talk as he will go abroad. This prompted the department to seek court’s authorization to remove the tigers if no cooperation is given by the temple abbot.

Adisorn Nuchdamrong, the deputy director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Preservation, stated that he had planned to meet with the abbot of the Tiger Temple to discuss the removal of 147 tigers being looked after by monks at the temple to the Khao Prathap and Khao Son wild animal sanctuaries in Ratchaburi provoince.

However this was not possible when the temple abbot said he would be travelling to the US on Monday, May 20th which will mean that the negotiations will have to be postponed.

He stated however that if he did not receive the cooperation from the temple within 15 days then the department would have no choice but to apply for writs to be issued by the courts for an inspection and finally the removal of the animals.

Mr. Adisorn revealed that all the necessary preparations such as transportation and animal pens have been completed and expects that all 147 tigers will require at least two weeks to be removed to new homes.

In 1999, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Preservation left seven tigers it seized from poachers under the care of the temple. Since then the number of tigers rose now to 147 and all belonged to the department because they are protected animals. The temple raised these tigers with donations from the public and entrance fees collected from tourists visiting the temple while the department has no budget to raise these tigers.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/effort ... -continues