New dam will drown years of recovery work

Gentle Reader, 


The following article was written by Anak Pattanavibool who is director of the Wildlife Conservation Society Thailand Programme. He can be reached at anakp@wcs.org.  The article appeared in the Bangkok Post, April 24, 2012.  Even before I had a chance to read it, readers were asking me to post it in this blog.   Here it is. 

The cabinet's approval in priniciple at its April 10 meeting of the 13 billion baht Mae Wong dam construction project inside the Mae Wong National Park in Nakhon Sawan has sent shockwaves through conservation communities inside and outside Thailand.

The ultra-clear and pristine water of the Mae Wong River enjoyed by visitors and the home of numerous endangered wildlife species. The area will be inundated by a planned dam.

The dam will have a maximum capacity of 258 million cubic metres of water and it will help to irrigate farmland covering an area of 480 square kilometres (300,000 rai).

Proponents say the dam will also control water flowing into the Chao Phraya River and, perhaps, reduce flooding. However, following the original plan, the dam will block the Mae Wong River, called Mae Rewa by locals, and inundate an area of more than 18 sq km inside the well-protected Mae Wong National Park. The dam will surely destroy forest, wildlife and scenic areas long appreciated by Thailand and the international community which have supported government efforts to help forest ecosystems and endangered species recover _ especially tigers and elephants inside the park.

The national park has been protected under the 1961 National Park Act for more than 24 years. Along the long journey of protection efforts successive governments have invested in total more than 300 million baht to make the park as secure as it is today. The park covers an area of 900 sq km. It is part of the largest protected area system in mainland Southeast Asia called the Western Forest Complex, which covers 17 protected areas of 18,000 sq km. Strategically, the park serves as an important protective buffer for the Huay Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, a globally important world heritage site. Located next to the south of the Mae Wong River, Huay Kha Khaeng has been internationally recognised as one of the very few places on Earth that can protect functioning populations of wild tigers, an endangered species with only 3,200 remaining in the world.

The entire Western Forest Complex is also Thailand's very last stronghold for many globally endangered and vulnerable species including the Asian elephant, banteng, tapir, gaur, sambar, green peafowl and rufous-necked hornbill. In support of the effort, the international community fighting to prevent the extinction of endangered species has hailed the long and firmly held policy of Thailand to protect the Western Forest Complex and its associated natural heritage as an example for others to follow.

Unfortunately, last week's decision by the cabinet on the Mae Wong dam project will set back the natural recovery course by furthering the destruction of one of the most sites offering most hope for protecting endangered species.

In short, the future of this world-class protected area is at risk.

It took generations of dedicated park rangers and officers to secure the park from various forms of human destruction. More than 20 years ago logging concessions, shifting cultivation, and hunting almost denuded the forest and wildlife inside Mae Wong before it became a national park. Clear evidence of past exploitation is evident as stumps of past glorious teak and hardwood trees still dot the landscape inside the park. Twenty years ago the forest was almost empty of large mammals and birds.

Tigers, elephants, banteng, and sambar were nearly hunted to extinction from the park. Green peafowl, the largest pheasant in Asia, went extinct from its foremost habitat along the Mae Wong River. Thanks to an amazing recovery under excellent protection together with species reintroduction programmes, today visitors can appreciate the return of endangered wildlife to this forest. The park is surely on course to becoming a world-class protected area.

Walking along the pristine banks of the Mae Wong River today we can easily come across dense tracks of sambar deer, the largest deer in Asia, together with tracks of muntjac, wild pigs, smooth-coated otters (globally vulnerable large otters) and other wildlife. We can hear green peafowl calling loudly right on the very part of the Mae Wong River where the dam is proposed to be built.

The most striking recovery among all the wildlife is that of wild tigers.

Following the government-led tiger conservation project of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation with support from key international organisations, including the World Wildlife Fund and Wildlife Conservation Society, the impressive recovery of wild tigers in the Mae Wong National Park has been confirmed. It's been proven that some of the tigers recorded have come from the Huay Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary. It is a success story for Thailand's environmental policy of protecting large forest tracts and maintaining connectivity in order to give tigers and other endangered species a chance to recover.

In the next 10 years wildlife experts believe that if we keep doing the right things by improving protection in Mae Wong, the park will be teeming with tigers, sambar, gaur, green peafowl and many other endangered species. The recovery of those animals ultimately means the revival of an ecosystem and watershed long abused. In terms of the economy, it will promote ecotourism and raise incomes and revenues more sustainably and sufficiently for the government and local communities living next to the park. Crucially, it will secure the integrity of a contiguous natural world heritage site _ Huay Kha Khaeng and the whole Western Forest Complex _ for future generations.

However, that vision will vanish if the Mae Wong dam is allowed to proceed in this great forest. The dam will destroy the most scenic site on the Mae Wong River where large numbers of tourists have come to appreciate the natural beauty. The reservoir will inundate all the land below 200 metres, which is considered the best habitat for wildlife. The reservoir will open easy access for poachers to come in by raft or boat to hunt sambar, muntjac, wild pigs, and, surely, tigers until the area becomes empty of wildlife. Similar things have happened in other forests next to dams and reservoirs in Thailand. Because the dam site is only about 10km to the boundary of Huay Kha Khaeng, the dam will send damaging ripples to the world heritage site by allowing easy access and escape routes for poachers and wood and forest product smugglers. It will be like setting the clock back to the destructive and exploitative era when park rangers were unable to control the forest.

In recent decades many countries have halted large development projects that would lead to the destruction of the very few remaining forests. Some developed countries have decided to tear down dams to help river and riverine ecosystems recover. The decision by the government on the Mae Wong dam is a move in the opposite direction to the global trend towards conserving the world's natural heritage. It is unwise to tread such a destructive path.

Policymakers should reconsider and stop the Mae Wong dam project and other large development projects inside other national parks and wildlife sanctuaries that will follow. The Mae Wong National Park belongs to all Thais, not just the locals.

Water volume from the Mae Wong River is not a major source of flooding and it is not worth spending the billions of baht required to build this dam. National parks and wildlife sanctuaries contain irreplaceable endangered species and intrinsic ecosystem values that we should be able to borrow from for the benefit of future generations.

National parks such as Mae Wong and wildlife sanctuaries such as Huay Kha Khaeng are there to protect the global natural heritage that current and future governments do not have the right to decimate.

Anak Pattanavibool is director of the Wildlife Conservation Society Thailand Programme. He can be reached  at  anakp@wcs.org.

Thai court accepts criminal charges against DNP chief and officials

Gentle Reader, 


I'm trying to verify new reports about DNP's  interest in the elephant camp in Kanchanaburi; the same one mentioned below. I've heard that they are considering taking two more elephants.  If those elephants are deemed to be illegal, would it not be better to identify them as such, require that they be maintained at their present location and restrict them from participating in any income generating activity?  


The article below was posted on the Wild Life Friends Foundation website on  14/04/2012.



Thai court accepts criminal charges against DNP chief and officials for wrongly raiding WFFT wildlife rescue center

On April 11th 2012, Petchaburi court accepted WFFT’s criminal charges against the Department of National Parks (DNP) Director-General and 17 of his staff members. They have been charged for negligence, selective enforcement, trespassing, armed robbery, harassment and slander.

The first raid by Officials of the DNP took place on the 13th of February. They announced that they had received reports and complaints about the illegal possession of elephants at WFFT. They claimed about 15 young illegal elephants were being hidden at the WFFT rescue center. In the afternoon of the 13th, they come to the relisation that there were no illegal elephants at WFFT. They then requested the paperwork for 450 rescued wild animals living at the centre. When this was not competed within 2.5 hours officials became aggressive and threatened to remove all the animals. Jansaeng Sangnanork (Noi), Manager of WFFT was arrested and taken to the police station to spend a night in jail. The DNP refused bail for Noi as they said the charge was too serious, and said they would return the next day to make more photos of the animals and let WFFT care for the sick and rescued animals during the ongoing “legal” process. 

From the 15th to the 17th of February, the DNP together with some locally hired drug addicts and illegal loggers raided the WFFT rescue center again and started to remove 103 rescued wild animals with excessive force and a brutal manner. Over this period they never produced a search warrant or court order. Therefore trespassing, heavily armed and basically acting like an armed robbery. Again legal paperwork was ignored and staff and volunteers were attacked by people that we later found out were not officials of the DNP but they did accompany them. In the following week, the DNP raided WFFT again over three days to remove the remaining animals. The Director General himself lead the raid and when confronted with the paperwork he refused to acknowledge it, instead insisting to further raid and discredit the foundation and its staff by telling lies about its founder, and the overall work of WFFT.

On several occasions, WFFT has diplomatically tried to discuss a way to have the animals returned with officials of the DNP, and have send over a dozen letters and documents to the DNP to prove the legality of the animals at WFFT but there has been no reply after 50 days. Police have also suggested to the DNP to return the animals but they too have received no reply. We therefore have no other way to fight for the injustice for the animals other than taking legal action.

In a similar case 19 elephants were taken from an elephant camp in Kanchanaburi and moved to a government center, were one Elephant died tragically after receiving inadequate care. Police here also ordered the DNP to return the animals, but the DNP have refused to return the animals or even to answer to the request.

In a similar case 19 elephants were taken from an elephant camp in Kanchanaburi and moved to a government center, were one elephant died tragically after receiving inadequate care. Police here also ordered the DNP to return the animals, but DNP has refused to return the animals or even answer to the request.

ศาลไทยรับเรื่องฟ้องทางอาญา ต่อหัวหน้ากรมอุทยานแห่งชาติ สัตว์ป่าและพันธุ์พืชและเจ้าหน้าที่ จากการบุกจับกุมศูนย์ช่วยเหลือสัตว์ป่าของมูลนิธิเพื่อนสัตว์ป่าแล้ว

วันที่ 11 เมษายน 2555 ศาลเพชรบุรีรับเรื่องฟ้องทางอาญาจากมูลนิธิเพื่อนสัตว์ป่า ซึ่งยื่นฟ้องอธิบดีกรมอุทยานแห่งชาติ สัตว์ป่าและพันธุ์พืช รวมถึงเจ้าหน้าที่ในกรมอีก 17 นาย ในข้อหาปฏิบัติหน้าที่โดยประมาท เลือกบังคับใช้กฎหมาย บุกรุก ปล้นทรัพย์โดยใช้อาวุธ ขู่กรรโชก และหมิ่นประมาท

เจ้าหน้าที่จากกรมอุทยานได้บุกเข้ามายังมูลนิธิเพื่อนสัตว์ป่าครั้งแรกในวันที่ 13 กุมภาพันธ์ โดยบอกว่าได้รับรายงานร้องเรียนเกี่ยวกับการครอบครองช้างอย่างผิดกฏหมายที่มูลนิธิเพื่อนสัตว์ป่า พวกเจ้าหน้าที่กล่าวหาว่ามีลูกช้างผิดกฏหมายซ่อนไว้ 15 ตัวในมูลนิธิ แต่ในตอนบ่ายของวันที่ 13 เมื่อพบว่าไม่มีช้างผิดกฎหมายอยู่จริง เจ้าหน้าที่จึงเรียกดูเอกสารการครอบครองสัตว์ 450 ตัวแทน และเมื่อเอกสารทั้งหมดไม่สามารถตรวจสอบได้ครบภายในเวลา 2 ชั่วโมงครึ่ง เจ้าหน้าที่ก็เริ่มแสดงอาการคุกคามและข่มขู่ว่าจะย้ายสัตว์ทั้งหมดไป คุณจันทร์แสง สร้างนานอก หรือคุณน้อย ผู้จัดการมูลนิธิเพื่อนสัตว์ป่าถูกจับกุมและคุมตัวไปยังสถานีตำรวจ และถูกขังให้อยู่ในคุกตลอดคืน ทางกรมอุทยานปฏิเสธการให้ประกันตัวคุณน้อย โดยอ้างว่าเป็นคดีอุกฉกรรจ์ และกล่าวอีกว่าจะกลับมาถ่ายรูปสัตว์ที่เหลือในวันรุ่งขึ้น และให้สัตว์เจ็บป่วยที่ช่วยเหลือมาอยู่ในความของมูลนิธิไปก่อนระหว่างขั้นตอนการดำเนินคดีทางกฎหมาย

วันพุธที่ 15 กุมภาพันธ์ และอีกสองวันถัดจากนั้น กรมอุทยาน ร่วมกับกลุ่มคนติดยาและพวกลักลอบตัดไม้ที่ถูกจ้างมา บุกเข้าศูนย์ช่วยเหลือสัตว์ป่าของมูลนิธิอีกครั้ง และเริ่มทำการขนย้ายสัตว์ที่ถูกช่วยเหลือมาจำนวน 103 ตัวด้วยอาการขู่บังคับอย่างรุ่นแรงเกินจำเป็น รวมทั้งใช้วิธีที่ทารุณอีกด้วย ตลอดหลายวันนี้พวกเจ้าหน้าที่ไม่ได้แสดงหมายค้นหรือหมายศาลใดๆ จึงถือเป็นการบุกรุก และจากที่เจ้าหน้าที่พกอาวุธมาครบมือ ก็ถือเป็นการปล้นทรัพย์โดยใช้อาวุธด้วย อีกครั้งที่เอกสารที่ถูกต้องตามกฎหมายโดนละเลย รวมทั้งพนักงานและอาสาสมัครก็ถูกทำร้ายโดยกลุ่มคนที่เราทราบในภายหลังว่าไม่ใช่เจ้าหน้าที่กรมอุทยาน แต่ได้รวมกลุ่มมาด้วยกัน ในอีกหนึ่งอาทิตย์ต่อมา กรมอุทยานได้บุกเข้ามายังมูลนิธิเพื่อนสัตว์ป่าอีกครั้งเป็นเวลาติดกันสี่วัน เพื่อจะทำการขนย้ายสัตว์ที่เหลือ ครั้งนี้อธิบดีเป็นผู้นำการบุกยึดด้วยตัวเอง โดยปฎิเสธที่จะดูเอกสารจากมูลนิธิอย่างสิ้นเชิงแต่กลับยืนยันเดินหน้ายึดต่อไป รวมทั้งทำให้มูลนิธิและพนักงานเสียชื่อเสียง โดยโกหกเรื่องต่างๆเกี่ยวกับผู้ก่อตั้งมูลนิธิ การทำงานทั้งหมดและความผิดทางกฎหมายของงานที่มูลนิธิทำ

มูลนิธิเพื่อนสัตว์ป่า พยายามที่จะเจรจาโดยดีในการขอรับสัตว์คืนกับเจ้าหน้าที่ของกรมอุทยาน รวมทั้งได้ส่งจดหมายและเอกสารไปร่วมโหลให้กับทางกรม เพื่อที่จะยืนยันความถูกต้องในการครอบครองสัตว์ของมูลนิธิ แต่ไม่มีการตอบรับจนกระทั่งถึงตอนนี้ 50 วันแล้ว เจ้าหน้าที่ตำรวจก็ได้แนะนำทางกรมอุทยานให้ส่งสัตว์คืนเช่นกัน แต่ถึงพวกเขาจะได้รับ ก็ไม่มีการตอบกลับมา ดังนั้นเราจึงไม่มีทางอื่นที่จะต่อสู้เพื่อเรียกร้องความยุติธรรมให้แก่สัตว์นอกจากพึ่งพาระบบกฎหมาย

ในเคสที่คล้ายคลึงกันซึ่งมีช้าง 19 เชือก ถูกยึดไปจากปางช้างแห่งหนึ่งในกาญจนบุรี และย้ายไปยังศูนย์ของรัฐบาล ช้างเชือกหนึ่งตายอย่างน่าเศร้าจากการได้รับการดูแลที่ไม่ดีพอ เจ้าหน้าที่ตำรวจที่นี่ก็ได้แนะนำกรมอุทยานให้ส่งคืนเช่นกัน แต่ทางกรมปฏิเสธที่จะส่งคืน โดยไม่มีแม้กระทั่งการตอบรับ

The Dark Side of the Elephant Business

Gentle Reader, 


Below is the article "The Dark Side of the Elephant Business"  It was written by Patricia Sims and posted to Life as a Human and Elephants Never Forget on the 1st of April.  The text and photo captions are the copyrighted work of Patricia Sims.  The beautiful photographs are NOT mine either. The photographic credits go to canazwest pictures inc.  


Frankly I waited these two weeks to post this hoping to get be able to write my own story, but that can't happen at the moment. Everyone involved in the confiscation of the elephants has gone stone quiet. I can tell you only two things:   

1. Rumors are abound but nothing much can be verified.  Comments from my sources range from "off the record" to allusions of reprisals if the truth comes out.
2. The elephants that were taken to Lampang are still there and the animals removed from WFFT still have not been returned.

I hope you enjoy Patricia's article.


These are troubled times in the land of elephants. Back in early January, the Thai and international press reported on the alarming and tragic poaching of wild elephants from the Kaeng Krachan National Park in west Thailand, the country’s largest national park, which borders Myanmar. What has evolved since is confusion, contradiction, misinformation, the arrests of poachers and wildlife officers, the investigations of elephant camps around the country including two internationally renowned sanctuaries, the confiscation of twenty-six elephants, and the recent news that one of those confiscated elephants has died.

Our ironic link with elephants

This isolated incident may seem small when compared to the increasing number of elephants and other wildlife being massacred worldwide. An insatiable demand for ivory in Asia has led to an unprecedented surge of elephant poaching throughout Africa. And while we hope that at least some endangered Asian elephants, the females and tusk-less males, might be spared from the hunt for ivory, new reports show different. For it’s not only ivory that has value in the black market. Elephant meat and baby elephants are also on the poachers’ list. No wild elephant is safe. Not even in the protected national parks as is this recent case in Thailand.

Elephants are an important animal in Thailand, traditionally, spiritually and economically. They are a national icon and, for better or worse, play a significant role in the tourism industry. It is for this very reason that the business of elephants ranks high in the national psyche and why the present controversy has had unsettling reverberations throughout the country. The issues surrounding elephants in Thailand are complex and with so many different stakeholders pitted against each other it is very difficult to get straight answers. Unfortunately the business of elephants is deeply mired in politics, legal loopholes, and profiteering.
There is a Thai law originally drafted in 1939 called the Draught Animal Act. The law and its ramifications are complex but very basically it requires all domesticated elephants must be registered by their owners with an ID card when they are eight years old. The registration law was developed during the time that elephants were used heavily in the logging industry. Logging was banned in Thailand in 1990 and the commercial use for elephants shifted to the tourism industry. As the demands for Asian elephants have increased in the tourism trade, both within Thailand and other countries, so has the need for elephants. But elephants don’t breed easily or quickly and in order to meet the demand they are captured from the wild to replenish the captive stock. This is against the law in Thailand and internationally. Baby elephants are the target, captured and sold into the tourist trade where they fetch a high price. By the time these wild-caught illegal elephants reach eight years old, if the owner even bothers to get registration papers they are either forged, purchased or passed on from registered elephants who have died. Although this law has been in place for decades, loopholes have enabled people to take advantage of the system which has proven to be profitable for a handful of business people who deal in elephants.
So why the crackdown at this time?

When the poaching incident hit the news it was rumored that some wildlife officers were likely in on the deal. It was very difficult to find out exactly how many elephants were killed. The early reports were confusing – some said six elephants were killed, although the official report says two. Initially, it was said that the elephants were poached for their tusks – but then later reported that their trunks, tails and sexual organs were sold to restaurants who cater to “foreign” customers. To date, the consumption of elephant meat in restaurants in Thailand has not been verified. Eventually poachers and wildlife officers were arrested. It was later reported that not only were the elephants killed for their various parts, but baby elephants were snatched from their mothers – who were likely killed in the process – to be sold into a ring whose business is to train, sell and distribute wild-caught baby elephants into the tourist trade, a very lucrative business that has been going on in Thailand for years, which many people have known but few have done anything about.

wild elephant carcass in the forest

Enter Damroch Pidech, Chief of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Park Conservation (DNP). In reaction to the scandal, he publicly pledged to do something about the poaching and illegal trade of elephants. A nation-wide campaign was launched to investigate the origins of all captive elephants by enforcing the 1939 registration law, an effort that requires the cooperation and coordination between three government Ministries – not an easy feat in any country.

By the end of January reports started coming out about the illegal trade of wild-caught baby elephants from Thailand’s national parks and the wilds of Myanmar into the tourist business, with allegations of collaboration between officials and business operators – a so-called “elephant mafia”. Two of Thailand’s most out-spoken elephant and animal rights activists, Sangduen ‘Lek’ Chailert, and Edwin Wiek distributed press releases internationally about this activity. Shorty afterwards, their sanctuaries, Elephant Nature Park (ENP), and Wildlife Friends Foundation of Thailand (WFFT) respectively, were raided by the DNP officers. Reportedly ninety-nine animals, various species of rescued wildlife, were confiscated from WFFT on the grounds that the organization did not have the correct paperwork, while demands were made for the registration documents that were missing for eight of the thirty-five elephants owned by ENP. The social media around these incidents went viral and followers worldwide witnessed video clips of monkeys, gibbons and other animals being yanked from their cages and carted off by wildlife officers, while a small army of foreign volunteers passionately protested outside the gates of ENP in Chiangmai as government officers made three visits to the park and threatened to confiscate eight elephants unless the complete registration papers were presented.

What has ensued since has been international outcry, largely fueled by press releases by ENP and WFFT who claim that they were singled out in the investigations. Although they may not have had the chance to get their paperwork in order when the officers unexpectedly came to their doors, they claim that they have been targeted because they publicly spoke out about the corruption and wild-capture of baby elephants sold into the elephant business. In the latest reports, the elephants at ENP have not been confiscated, although tragically two of the gibbons taken from WFFT have died. This has certainly brought a lot of international attention to the issues in Thailand at present. But in the drama that has surrounded the emotionality of this outcry, the importance and potential benefits of this nation-wide shakedown have been overlooked.
It has not only been these activist’s sanctuaries that have been raided in Thailand. From Phuket in the south, to Kanchanaburi in the west, to Chiangmai in the north and the northeastern province of Surin – considered to be the hub of the elephant trade business – elephant camps are being inspected by DNP officers.
At this time of writing, 26 elephants without registration papers have been confiscated and impounded at the Thai Elephant Conservation Center (TECC), a government-run facility and elephant hospital. At the March 13th National Elephant Day symposium in Bangkok, the DNP Chief estimated that 10% of the captive elephants in Thailand are not registered. Exact numbers of elephants in Thailand are not easy to confirm but the numbers range between 1,200 wild elephants and 3,000 captive elephants. This suggests that there are approximately 300 elephants in captivity that are wild-caught from the national park jungles or captured and purchased in Myanmar and smuggled into Thailand to be resold. The DNP Chief estimates twenty to thirty wild baby elephants are smuggled into the Thailand tourist trade per year – some elephant conservationists and NGOs estimate more than one hundred.

A rescued orphaned wild baby elephant tries to get out of his pen

As DNP officials continue to make their way around the countryside searching for un-registered elephants, the confiscation has created a major challenge for the veterinarians and mahouts whose job it is to care for the elephants now arriving at TECC. There were already some eighty elephants in residence at TECC as members of its elephant program. With the arrival of the new elephants now in federal custody comes the need for more facilities, food, water, and more mahouts. Properly trained mahouts are difficult to find in Thailand. In many villages it is a dying tradition, and many of these mahouts do not want to leave their homes in the rural areas to work in a government facility. For those who take the job, they need time to get to know the new elephant they are to care for – and for the elephant to trust and accept their new mahout. Most of the confiscated elephants have come from the Sai Yok Elephant Park in Kanchanaburi, and some from Phuket. Upon arrival at TECC, the elephants underwent a series of medical tests. Fifteen of the elephants were found to be unhealthy. Some were admitted into the Elephant Hospital; the others put into quarantine. At this time of writing one of the lead veterinarians at TECC has confirmed that eight elephants have tested positive in the screening process for a chronic respiratory disease, two have tested positive with a tetanus infection, and one of those elephants with tetanus has died.

Although the tourist camp owner of this deceased 17 year-old female elephant insists that she was not properly cared for at TECC, the tests and photos taken at the time of her arrival show otherwise. The veterinarian team states that all fifteen elephants were in poor health before they got there. Tetanus has a long incubation period and the likelihood that these two elephants already had the infection is very high. The other tetanus infected elephant is presently being treated and recovering. Although one elephant’s life has tragically been lost, this other elephant who is now under proper care at TECC may have a chance to survive.
Most people working with elephants in Thailand believe it is high time that the registration laws be enforced. What is questionable in the present shakedown process is the methodology undertaken. Does it make sense to confiscate and impound elephants when considering the costs, logistics, and risks to the elephants to be moved? Perhaps only in the cases where the elephants are not properly cared for. Although there is the law for elephant registration, there are no laws to enforce proper elephant care nor to prevent cruelty. Domesticated elephants are the private property of their owners who can do with the elephant whatever they choose.

At present, Thailand has its work cut out for itself to get its elephant business in order. No new rules have been passed as of yet but there are a lot of plans. The search for un-registered elephants is linked with the plan to create a DNA database of all the wild elephants in the forests. Any elephant without registration papers will be considered wild. All domesticated elephants are to be registered from the time they are babies with more detailed physical descriptions, micro-chipped and DNA recorded. The plan is that this comparative database would make it possible to tell the difference between wild and domesticated elephants thus preventing wild elephants to be smuggled into captivity. Meanwhile, in the background are the on-going and complex discussions about the need to create new laws for elephants that would put them in a category all their own, and ensure their proper care.

Portrait of Kamela, the first elephant I ever met

Yet amid the drama, the planning, and the investigations it’s the fate of the beloved elephants that is really at stake. In our work here as filmmakers we are trying to make sense of this situation and more importantly tell its story. For within this country we see the heart of the human-elephant relationship, a nation that is filled with good people with diverse points of view trying to save its elephants in a climate of socio-political change. At the centre of all these challenges is the love that the Thai people have for elephants. Where else can an elephant receive a Royal title from the King, or have a national holiday designated in its honor, or once be featured on the national flag?

The world is running out of elephants, both in the wild and in captivity. In Thailand it’s estimated that overall the population is decreasing by 3.5% per year – which means that in 30 years there will be no elephants left in the land of elephants. We can only hope that these efforts underway will help Thailand take care of its elephant business, not only as a nation that loves elephants but for the world that loves elephants too.

The Animal Activist Alliance is Alive!

Gentle Reader,

"The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated". Since Mahatama Ghandi is the one who made that statement I'll accept it as truth.  An alliance of animal lovers has been formed here in Thailand.  The vast majority of their membership and their leadership is Thai; a few foreigners have been allowed to join and participate. I hope they will consider me a member.



This new organization is called  Animal Activist Alliance (AAA) Thailand.  They are bent on improving Thailand's status in the world by improving the way animals are treated in this great nation. I stand with them.

Mahatama Ghandi also said "Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is still the truth".  Well gentle reader AAA held it's first official activity today (April 5, 2012) and from what I saw they had between 200 and 300 in attendance.  In my opinion they speak the truth.  Their first activity was a quiet protest held outside Gate #3 of The parliament, ironically the gate is across the street from a zoo.  The demonstration was well organized, and well covered by the press.  Symbolism, and signs were the order of the day.  The crowd was well behaved; there were no blaring loudspeakers.

Very Important Addition:  On 11 April,  AAA released an 11 minute video which does an excellent job of explaining the aims of the alliance, the activities of the day and the wonderful reception by the Thai Parliament.  It's in Thai, except for a few short interviews in English.  Watch it anyway, it's really well done.  The version with English sub-titles is finished!  Please see:


AAA Demonstration Video -  English Version

AAA Video - Thai Language


Their press release stated that "The AAA is a newly formed alliance in Thailand with the objective of pushing for animal protection laws in Thailand, the introduction of animal rights and the stop to animal torture.  The Alliance currently has more than 30 member groups and organizations....."
The press release also listed the main objectives for the demonstration as:

Photo by Fran Victor

"1.  To show the concern of the Thai People for the lives of animals and their wellbeing in Thailand, whit handing over a petition with 10,000 signatures for a law proposal to parliament.

At the Parliament
Photo by Annelie Langerak

"2.  To inform and educate the Thai public on animal welfare issues and to ask for more public support.

The People Do Care
Photo by Annelie Langerak

"3.  To present evidence of animal torture that has been kept secret until this day.

"4. To show the international media and public that Thai citizen do care about animal wellbeing and animal rights.

Below is a link that, in my mind proves that the Thai media has taken this seriously and now the whole world will know about the butchery of innocent dogs!  It will stop, I'm sure! 
Bangkok Channel 3 News Clip

The clip below is from Channel 3 News interview of AAA members during the evening news on April 5.

Channel 3 Evening News Clip

Lek with a few of the local police
Photo by Patpampami Varoungsurat

"5.  To make government and the citizen of Thailand understand the problems animals in Thailand face and to present a solution in the form of animal welfare laws presented by several popular Thai celebrities".

There have been unrelated tragedies in Thailand of late that tell me the time has come for the Animal Activist Alliance (AAA) Thailand. Animal confiscations and the politics involved have taken a huge share of Thai media time lately. The story of the dog meat trade is causing revulsion in both the local community and the international media.  The Thai are a gentle people who will avoid conflict and always want to take the middle way. The AAA will, I hope, widen the middle way and make it possible for the law makers to consider passing laws that will protect animals in Thailand.  The April 5th demonstration was an excellent start!

Some of the feelings were best expressed by the signs people carried.

Both sides of the street were lined with AAA volunteers with signs, masks and costumes (at least until a labor group showed up with their huge loudspeakers which they aimed at the parliament building; at that point AAA retreated to the zoo side of the street).

The truck speakers pointed at the Parliament Building

Symbolism included cages, chains and at least one bull hook.

A fact of life for the captive elephant! 

Chains are for slaves! 

Please allow a brief look into my personal past and my personal views. Some years ago I had the honor of serving as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) in the dependency court system back in the States.  The CASA volunteer is appointed by the court to watch over the child as he or she is jostled by opposing sides in a legal battle that determines the child’s future.  At one point in my first case, the child’s father yelled at me – “Whose side are you on anyway”?   My calm answer – I’m on the side of the child.  Recently I have been asked by opposing sides of an issue with elephants the same question:  “Whose side am I on”?   Let me be very clear and very direct here.  I am on the side of the animals, especially the elephants. Period!


Change begins with you and with me.  Often, our choice of words make a big difference.  For me I will never again own a dog, cat or other living animal.   Rather, I will consider myself as their guardian.  Just that shift in vocabulary can have an impressive effect in how one behaves toward his or her animal.  For more on this see: The Guardian Campaign    One of the signs I saw yesterday brings this point home:: "Family not Grocery".

Works for me! 

April 5 Demonstration Photos has a collection of my photographs from the first important activity by the Animal Activist Alliance (AAA) Thailand. Usually my articles include only my photographs; however the members of AAA have been posting a lot of great shots.  I thank my fellow members for making this a better article!  Hopefully I have the photo credits right!  I’m sure there will be follow up stories, but I have no idea when.



Abundant Blessings,

Reported in the Bangkok Post

Gentle Reader, 


Below are two articles, both from the Bangkok Post  On top is an article that appeared in the Bangkok Post on March 22d and following that is the response by Edwin Wiek at WFFT from March 23d.
========================================================



Melee over wildlife issue gathers steam

Published: 22/03/2012 at 02:13 AMNewspaper section: News
by:  Apinya Wipatayotin

The National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department yesterday threatened to sue a wildlife foundation's founder over alleged defamatory remarks after he accused agency staff of failing to take proper care of wild animals it had confiscated.

Theerapat Prayurasidhi, the department's deputy director-general, said the department considered comments against the department by Edwin Wiek, founder of the Wildlife Friends Foundation, "aggressive". He made the comments to  international media outlets, on his own website and in videos posted on YouTube.

Mr Wiek was dissatisfied with department officials who last month raided his foundation in Phetchaburi's Tha Yang district and confiscated 99 animals, including smooth-coated otters, white handed gibbons and great hornbills among others. The raid was in reaction to public complaints that the foundation did not have a licence to keep the wild animals.

"If he does not stop making comments [against department officials], we will sue him," Mr Theerapat said. "He has falsely accused us. We have never treated  those confiscated animals badly. They are still in good health."

Prosecutors have already indicted Mr Wiek's wife for illegally possessing the wild animals while Mr Wiek has yet to face charges.

Mr Wiek submitted a letter to the British and Netherlands embassies, telling them that the department  had treated the confiscated animals poorly.

He also posted video footage on YouTube, showing frightened gibbons being removed from their cages and a monkey falling into a pond as Forestry Department staff members tried to capture it.

Mr Theerapat said the animals were thrown into a panic as the foundation's staff tried to stop the forestry agents from removing them.

"He is using the camp as a private zoo to get donations to feed his business," Mr Theerapat said.

Mr Wiek said he has done nothing wrong.

==============================================================


Published: 23/03/2012 at 08:59 AMNewspaper section: News

Wildlife foundation head sets the record straight

Re: "Melee over wildlife issue gathers steam" (BP, March 22).

The melee started after staff at Lampang province leaked information that an elephant who was under the care of the National Parks, Wildlife and Conservation Department had had died. This elephant was taken by the department from an elephant camp in Kanchanaburi a few weeks ago. Besides this there is great concern about the fate of 99 other animals taken from the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) rescue centre in Phetchaburi after news that at least two gibbons forcibly taken to a department breeding centre in Ratchaburi have died.

Staff and management of WFFT as well as the Thai Animal Guardians Association and a Bangkok-based support group have asked for permission to visit the confiscated wildlife to ensure proper animal welfare standards are in place. This request has been unanswered for over three weeks. If the department states that all animals are well, why can't staff or media be allowed access to the animals? Why did the death of the elephant stay secret and why is this not mentioned in the article?

The articles I wrote over the last weeks have not been aggressive, but straight to the point and factual. If someone cannot deal with the truth that is one thing, but calling it aggressive is not a correct description.

When department deputy director-general Theerapat Prayurasidhi mentions defamation in the article I wonder how he would classify his last remark: "He is using the camp as a private zoo to get donations to feed his business." The WFFT is a legally registered foundation under Thai law. The day-to-day bookkeeping and yearly financial report are properly maintained as required by law. The rescue centre is seen by international government and non-governmental organisations as one of the best of its kind, with fully equipped medical facilities and holding facilities built to international standards. A private zoo is closed to the public while the rescue centre is accessible for free, for educational purposes.

The WFFT does receive voluntary donations by people and organisations worldwide, just enough to support its work; we do not receive any government funding or taxpayer money. The WFFT is a non-profit organisation, and has been for the last 11 years.

EDWIN WIEK

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand

Observation and Questions - a Day at TECC

A day at TECC is usually very pleasant. I did get a chance to visit with Pangpornsawan for a few moments.  She is doing very well and the TECC staff still fret when I want to get close enough to touch her. Hey, they are just doing their job.

Pangpornsawan 22 March 2012

Other than the quick visit with Pang, yesterday was taxing to say the least. There are more questions and fewer answers.  I will preference this by sharing with you that I have made a commitment to do more research before I write anything that could be called definitive, anything with any sort of a conclusion.  I do not know enough about TECC and to that end I have been granted an interview with Richard Lair who has been involved with Thai elephants for some 27 years.  He is affiliated with the Thai Elephant Conservation Center.   I have also made a commitment to personally visit Saiyok Elephant Park in Kanchanaburi.  It was from them that 19 elephants were confiscated. They also own the two baby elephants that were confiscated from Phuket.

In the morning I met Khun Chaiyapong Sandee and his family. The original intent of the trip to to TECC was to visit their elephants and see how are they doing since they were moved here.  However, they had learned through unofficial channels that one of their elephants had died. They were at TECC to learn the circumstances surrounding the death of one of their elephants, to visit the surviving elephants and work on having their elephants returned.

When he got to TECC office, he was officially informed about the death of his elephant. Sri Thong was a very healthy about 17 year old female who died at approximately 5:00 a.m. on March 20th.  According to one of the attorneys who spoke with a doctor at TECC, She passed at 5:00 a.m., an autopsy was performed at 5:00 p.m. Tissue samples were sent to a university in Chiang Mai; results are expected in a week.  I also learned she was buried that same day.  According to an article posted on www.thairath.co.th at about 3:00 a.m. today TECC had reported the death to the local police.  No details of the death were included in the article.  However, it did say that if it’s determined that the elephant was illegal, the government will have no requirement to compensate for her loss.  A family member told me that they have never received any official notification of Sri Thong’s death; that they learned of it through word of mouth.  The family had a meeting with TECC officials, were provided with some information but seemed to leave with a lot of unanswered questions.  One thing they are requesting if a copy of the video of the autopsy. I am told that request is still pending. Needless to say there are more unanswered questions surrounding this poor elephant and her demise.

I went with Khun Chaiyaphong Sandee and his family to visit the other elephants.  There is a mother and a calf about 1 year old who seem to be in pretty good shape. At least they are together.  The two babies who were confiscated from Phuket are about 2 years old. They are in a pen together, both on short chains.  10 elephants are under a long shelter, 3 under a separate shelter and the remaining 3 were in a nearby forest.  My Thai is not that good, but as I understand it there is a lot of concern about these elephants not having enough food, enough water, exercise or shelter.  What I observed was that the 13 in shelters did not have food or water near them.  Clearly the elephants and the people were stressed.  The weather was hot and emotions ran high. Khun Chaiyaphong is very worried about the rest of his elephants, worried that they could be become ill or die if they have to remain at TECC. He is working to have the rest of his elephants returned.

Not Enough

Three under a makeshift shelter, no water, no food!

Babies in Chains

I spoke at some length with two of the family members, whose English is excellent.  They claim that each of the confiscated elephants had valid papers, but in each case there were discrepancies in the descriptions.  According to them, 2 DNP staff visited their camp on January 24th to collect information, then on the 25th, The National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department chief, Khun Damrong Pidej, led a raid of some 200 armed men, demanding to immediately see all the certificates.  Quickly copies were made and surrendered to DNP. The camp had, at that time, 51 elephants but handed over papers on 58 elephants.  DNP wanted to know why there were 7 extra papers. Saiyok Elephant park staff insisted it was an oversight caused by the pressure to immediately produce.  They had included copies of documents about elephants that were no longer there.

DNP left with instructions to have the description sections of the certificates updated at the local office.  However, when they went to the government office they were told that no adjustments to the certificates could be made while they were under investigation.  On 29 February, 19 elephants were confiscated from Saiyok and transported to TECC.

I asked if DNP uses the microchip information.  No!  It turns out that the microchip information is maintained by Department of Livestock Development and apparently there is no coordination between the two departments.  Saiyok elephant staff said, all of their adult elephants has been micro chipped; most of them 10 to 15 years ago. All information about elephants including sex, age, place elephants were micro chipped, previous owner’s name and address have been recorded as a database at Bureau of Disease Control and Veterinary Service, Surin province.  If I understand this correctly wild elephants come under the jurisdiction of Department of National Parks and domestic elephants under the jurisdiction of Department of Livestock.

As I said at the beginning Gentle Reader, there are far more questions than answers.

Park wants return of 18 seized elephants

This article is from the Bangkok Post March 23, 2012. If was put on line at 01:40 a.m.


WILDLIFE

Park wants return of 18 seized elephants

Published: 23/03/2012 at 01:40 AM
Newspaper section: News
A private elephant park has demanded wildlife authorities return 18 seized elephants after one of them died after being transported to a state-run elephant hospital in Lampang province.

Sri Thong, a female elephant, died at the National Elephant Institute on Tuesday _ less than a month after being confiscated from Saiyok Elephant Park in Kanchanaburi's Sai Yok district.

Veterinarians are investigating the cause of the death.

Sri Thong was one of 19 elephants confiscated from the elephant park on Feb 29. The National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department officials suspected the park operator illegally obtained the pachyderms as information on the elephants' identification cards did not match their characteristics.

Duanpen Sandee, the daughter of Saiyok Elephant Park's owner, said the death of the elephant showed that the institution failed to provide healthy living conditions for them.

"The elephants look thin and under pressure," she said after visiting the elephant institute in Lampang yesterday. "The department should return the remaining 18 elephants to us, otherwise more of them could die."

Ms Duanpen said she would submit a petition to department chief Damrong Pidech, asking him return the elephants to Kanchanaburi.

She said the park planned to ask the court to order the department to return the elephants, and that it was also preparing to take legal action against authorities about the death case.

Wildlife conservationist Roger Lohanan, secretary-general of the Thai Animal Guardians Association, expressed concern over the department's decision to move the confiscated elephants from Kanchanaburi to Lampang province, saying that the long distance and unfamiliar environment could be harmful to the animals' health.

He said the elephants should be kept at the park during the department's investigations.

Mr Damrong yesterday said he could not return the elephants to the park as the case was still in court.

Regarding the dead elephant, Mr Damrong said authorities were conducting an autopsy to find the cause of death.

About the author


Writer: Apinya Wipatayotin
Position: Reporter