Government doesn't care about elephants, say conservationists | Bangkok Post: news

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Government doesn't care about elephants, say conservationists

Conservationists and mahouts greeted Thai Elephant Day with expressions of frustration that the government is making no serious attempt to keep these iconic animals safe in the jungle and at shelters that care for them.

They emphasised it is necessary to remind people constantly of the importance of the elephant, or it could disappear from the wild.

Their warning came as authorities continued the hunt for poachers who killed a wild elephant cow in a border forest in Phetchaburi province last week, and are believed to be smuggling her calf out of the forest for sale to a dealer.

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Your comments

  • Discussion 7 : 14 Mar 2013 at 21.347

    Very simple fact of life!

    Elephant can't vote!

    Actually, most of you here can't vote too!

    Does that mean most of you are similar to the elephants?

  • Discussion 6 : 14 Mar 2013 at 09.536

    Many mahouts shoul be ashamed of themselvs and have their animals taken from them.When I first came to Thailand I loved watching these amazing animals but that changed.They do not belong on the streets of Bangkok where thet are forced to beg for food/money from tourists and other passersby.Seeing an Elephnat walking aroun in heave traffic is cruelty towards these animals.They should be kept outside towns and taken care of.The ones that can be returned to the forst should be allowed to be set free.I do however agree with several in this forum.The PT goverment will do what they normally with problems . . . . NOTHING !

  • Discussion 5 : 14 Mar 2013 at 09.245

    Blocking roads and border crossings won't do much. Elephants are pretty good at overland excursions. With only 3,000 left in the wild and the fact that they are herd instinctive it should be easier to track the families and safeguard them.

  • dao

    ThailandPost : 4,666

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    Discussion 4 : 14 Mar 2013 at 00.224

    The government will show how much it cares by doing nothing .Mark my words .Not a thing .I really dont understand why it is possible to own an elephant .Domestic elephants should be national assets and given tracks of land to live on where to tourists can view them not ride them so some tour operator can make some cash or sell bananas on the side of the road .Elephants dont even eat bananas .

  • Victor

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    Discussion 3 : 13 Mar 2013 at 19.363

    Thai government doesn't care about many things, actually, not just elephants.

  • Discussion 2 : 13 Mar 2013 at 19.322

    "Government doesn't care about elephants, say conservationists". Government does the same with National Parks and Marine National Parks in Thailand. We can see day after day own fishermen are poaching withing Marine National Parks and when we call National Park Rangers we get just a smile as tea-money close their eyes.

  • Discussion 1 : 13 Mar 2013 at 18.461

    It make me so sad for see the elephant with no home and no owner, just like see the homeless dog. They maybe the big animal but if have owner then they will have home.

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