[LsrSRVxR]

I always see them walking around BKK. I feel so bad for them. Even when I was walking to training yesterday in Bang Kapi I saw one getting offloaded from a small truck everso casually.

Does anyone remember when some Australian zoo tried to export a couple so they could breed them, and the protests from the Thais that ensued? They tried to stop it happening from memory. I don't know if that was such a big deal in Thailand or if the Australian media just beat it up in an attempt to make Australia look important.

Oh..just found -

http://www.thailandqa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10664

[MaraReenece]

CONSERVATION
Elephants' future truncated
By: APINYA WIPATAYOTIN
Bangkok Post

The plight of Thailand's elephants has reached a crisis point with the current herd of captive beasts expected to disappear in the next 14 years, conservationists say.

But the national committee in charge of protecting the welfare of elephants has not met since 2003 and is badly in need of reform.

The National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department is pressing for the renewal of the committee on Thai elephants and wants it chaired by the natural resources and environment minister.

Department chief Kasemsun Chinnavaso said the committee should be an effective agency to deal with the serious problems plaguing elephants.

"The agency would have the full authority to manage elephants that have strayed, deal with the illegal trade and be able to adjust the law to keep up to date with the changing situation," Mr Kasemsun said.

He said state agencies, the private sector, activists and academics could work together to draft action plans to deal with problems. His proposal will be submitted to the minister for his consideration and then to the cabinet.

Thailand is one of 13 countries where Asian elephants are born in the wild. It is thought to have a population of 3,000 animals. Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary Park in Uthai Thani is home to the biggest population, with 700.

Permanent secretary for natural resources and the environment Saksit Tridech said the birthrate among captive elephants had plummeted and their survival rate was diminishing.

"We expect captive elephants to disappear within the next 14 years, which means wild elephants will again be under threat from hunters to serve the high demand in the market," Mr Saksit said.

Department biologist Mattana Srikrachang said the birthrate among beasts born in the wild was about 10% a year, compared with less than 7% for domesticated elephants.

"The possibility of the extinction of wild elephants is very low," she said. "But the challenge is to educate people.

"Elephants should live in the forest, not on a farm or on the streets. In Bangkok, over 200 stray elephants have been found, especially in the drought season."

Chatchawan Pisdamkham, director of the Wildlife Conservation Office, said his agency was organising a meeting next week aimed at overcoming hurdles to improving elephants' quality of life.

[gennnniiikk]

Unfortunately, a large percentage of the so-called captive elephants in Thailand might in fact have been wild elephants in Burma and other countries had they not been illegally smuggled into Thailand. People considering going on a trek in Northern Thailand with elephants might want to consider this.

The report found that so many live elephants have been smuggled to support “elephant trekking” tourism in Thailand that some parts of the Myanmar appear to have lost their elephant populations. That quote is from this story released in December. Even more damage is done to elephant populations in Southeast Asia by the trade in ivory and other elephant parts that often ends up going to Vietnam and especially China.

The long term survivability of the wild Thai elephant population doesn't stand a chance as long as this kind of activity continues.

[bensabath]

In my opinion , Thailand own so many tigers,and the people also treated them very well

[pharmablogger]

Slightly misleading title as the article suggests that the wild population is not at risk.

[bobibnoxx]

It is a sad story.

The total extinction of this giant not only in Thailand but from the face of the earth would not be far away unless swift action is taken.