i'm pretty sure it is against the law - but when this was happening in Bangkok the BIB were fining the farang for feeding them not the Thai mahouts for touting them...
Sound familiar?
Sabai Jai
Changs blocking the Binta Block
Re: Changs blocking the Binta Block
I´m staying near the Khao Noi temple and the elephant village is not far from here. It seems like the small changs leave from the elephant village around 4 pm every day to go to the center.
Few days ago I was sitting outside of my townhouse enjoying my first afternoon beer and I happened to have the front gate open a little bit. The elephants and their handlers came as usual from the main road that passes my house and from far away all ready they were asking if I would want to feed the elephants. I just shook my head but the handler just walked towards my house with the elephant and wanted to sell me sugar cane. I smiled and shook my head and said clearly "no thank you". Next the handler stepped inside from my front gate, and that was too much for me. I didn´t smile any more and I got up from my chair. I didn´t need to say anything any more because I guess the handler saw from my face that it´s time to go.
I haven´t seem them for a couple days now, and I hope it stays like this.
Few days ago I was sitting outside of my townhouse enjoying my first afternoon beer and I happened to have the front gate open a little bit. The elephants and their handlers came as usual from the main road that passes my house and from far away all ready they were asking if I would want to feed the elephants. I just shook my head but the handler just walked towards my house with the elephant and wanted to sell me sugar cane. I smiled and shook my head and said clearly "no thank you". Next the handler stepped inside from my front gate, and that was too much for me. I didn´t smile any more and I got up from my chair. I didn´t need to say anything any more because I guess the handler saw from my face that it´s time to go.
I haven´t seem them for a couple days now, and I hope it stays like this.
Re: Changs blocking the Binta Block
Thais mistreating animals, their own, farangs, making a quid - No way!
Re: Changs blocking the Binta Block
Hi, I realise this thread is a few months old but was wondering if anything happened following some of the earlier posts.....the ideas of a petition, newspaper article and posters informing tourists why they shouldn't feed the elephants? (I'm not sure if I'm missing another more recent thread - I'm still sort of finding my way round here.)
I just wanted to say that I find seeing the elephants being trawled around the streets completely awful, it's such a hideously cruel existence for them and obviously, a potentially very dangerous situation in the crowded streets, as has been said. I really do not understand why some tourists get involved and hand money over - it can only be through ignorance, surely. Anyway, I contacted the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand about this and they said to make a complaint to the Tourist Police....I just thought I'd also find out if anything more direct had been done locally....?
Actually one other thing, one of the main Night Market spots for them to make the elephants stand is half way down on Sa Song road (as I'm sure you all know). There's a man who also sets up there sometimes, selling craft stuff, who has a Great Dane (I think it's a Great Dane - whatever it is, it is one beautiful MASSIVE dog) - anyway it's really odd cos when it's a choice between the elephant and the dog the tourists all migrate towards the dog to have their photo taken - quite bizarre but brilliant. I seriously think these idiot 'mahouts', which seems too grand a term for them, should trade the elephants in (ie let them go back to their natural habitat through an organisation like the WFFT) and get a couple of Great Danes who'd be a lot more at home and make arguably more money (but would probably eat as much....).
Well....it's just a thought (yeah, naive and stupid but a nice one all the same).
I'll stop now as I'm rambling....
(ps sorry if this is in the wrong 'bit' or if this has been closed)
Thanks,
Kate
I just wanted to say that I find seeing the elephants being trawled around the streets completely awful, it's such a hideously cruel existence for them and obviously, a potentially very dangerous situation in the crowded streets, as has been said. I really do not understand why some tourists get involved and hand money over - it can only be through ignorance, surely. Anyway, I contacted the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand about this and they said to make a complaint to the Tourist Police....I just thought I'd also find out if anything more direct had been done locally....?
Actually one other thing, one of the main Night Market spots for them to make the elephants stand is half way down on Sa Song road (as I'm sure you all know). There's a man who also sets up there sometimes, selling craft stuff, who has a Great Dane (I think it's a Great Dane - whatever it is, it is one beautiful MASSIVE dog) - anyway it's really odd cos when it's a choice between the elephant and the dog the tourists all migrate towards the dog to have their photo taken - quite bizarre but brilliant. I seriously think these idiot 'mahouts', which seems too grand a term for them, should trade the elephants in (ie let them go back to their natural habitat through an organisation like the WFFT) and get a couple of Great Danes who'd be a lot more at home and make arguably more money (but would probably eat as much....).
Well....it's just a thought (yeah, naive and stupid but a nice one all the same).
I'll stop now as I'm rambling....
(ps sorry if this is in the wrong 'bit' or if this has been closed)
Thanks,
Kate