It doesn’t seem like a bad job. In fact, it would be near perfect for me - chilling out during the day, starting work at 4pm, being fed constantly, plenty of affection from passers by and lots of exercise.  Sadly for Bangkok’s Street Elephants, I doubt they feel anywhere near as positive about their career path, for this is not a life they would have chosen.

Elephant feet were not designed for trudging through the urban jungle.  Nor were elephant lungs designed to inhale the traffic pollution which causes Street Elephants serious respiratory problems. Bangkok is a completely unnatural and dangerous environment for its Elephants: strange noises, flashing lights, motorbikes, lorries and cars, barking soi (street) dogs, not to mention the lack of any natural water resource to keep them cool. It is no wonder there have been reports in recent years of Street Elephants becoming aggressive or simply going plain berserk.  Speaking to locals on this very subject, I am informed that difficult Elephants are often sedated to induce a calm personality, thus reducing the risk of behavioural problems. I can only assume such drugging causes long term cerebral damage to an Elephant.

There are reportedly up to 20 road traffic accidents involving Street Elephants every month in Bangkok.  In October 2008, a seven year old Elephant, Plai Boon Mee, died along with a 16 year old boy after being hit by a drunken driver. Elephants frequently hurt themselves by treading on broken glass, and due to their enormity, cut and graze themselves by stumbling or bashing into city obstacles.

The Elephants usually start working the streets at around 4pm. During the rest of the day, they are left to graze in unsuitably small urban grass areas or derelict sites with little food and hazardous rubbish left by fly tippers. Elephants are left outside in the boiling heat without adequate shade, this leads to sunstroke and extensive sunburn.  Seldom will an Elephant receive the 60 gallons of water required each day to keep them hydrated; many resort to drinking polluted river water or dirty water found in the street. 

When Thailand banned logging in 1989, many Mahouts (driver and keeper of an elephant) and their Elephants had to find alternative employment. This saw a number of Mahouts take to the city streets, enticing tourists to interact with the Elephants in exchange for money. This trend has continued, spawning an industry of organised Elephant rental and an increase in migration of Elephants to the cities.

It is easy to point the finger at both ends of the spectrum when it comes to this subject. On one hand, I resent the Elephant keepers. Taking Elephants out of their natural environment and using them as a tool to make money is incredibly cruel. On the other, I resent the incorrigible tourist who pays money to feed, pet and picture the Elephant as a supposedly exciting holiday experience. Both parties are part of a vicious cycle where demand meets the need of supply. There will always be an excitable tourist, and, unless drastic action is taken, there will always be a poor Elephant owner.

In Thailand it is safe to say the Elephant will always have a meal on the table. Thai people love Elephants and traditionally have a huge respect for this national symbol. I have often seen Elephants being fed scraps and leftovers by restaurant owners and street traders.  Unfortunately, this random and sporadic diet is detrimental to an Elephant’s health, bad for their digestive system and can cause food poisoning. Despite the food hand outs by locals, keepers would not be able to live without the tourist buck.  Without it, the Elephant would ultimately be abandoned and if lucky, picked up by a rescue organisation. However, if the owner has no Elephant, they have no trade, no money, no food and nothing to support their family. The vicious cycle continues.

I recently encountered a four year old Elephant with two of my friends who were on a fly through visit to Bangkok. The Elephant had a blank CD disc tied to its tail in an effort to provide some sort of extra ‘cute’ marketing attraction.  It was most disturbing.  Three men nonchalantly walked the Elephant down the street and asked us for 100 Baht to take a picture.  Considering the minimum wage is just over 200 Baht a day, that is not a bad little earner for a minute’s work.  The Elephant looked somewhat bewildered, slightly nervous but fairly trusting of its keeper.  Local people looked on from a bus stop as the Elephant was ushered between a footbridge stairwell and a row of food sellers. Concerned, but used to seeing this sight, everybody went about their business as usual.  Nothing pulls at the heart strings quite like a young and naive animal that appears so trusting of those that seek to abuse it.
 
Unfortunately, I have come across many Street Elephants in Bangkok.  Only yesterday I saw a fully grown Elephant being led down a dangerously narrow walkway by a busy road.  The Elephant was suddenly startled by several barking soi dogs that seemed to appear out of nowhere.  Fortunately, the Elephant remained composed but was clearly uneasy, as was I.  Following this incident, I was determined to find out just what the authorities were doing to combat the cruelty.

In fairness, the Thai Government have tried to address this issue in numerous ways, but always seem to fall short of seeing the initiatives through.  In 2002, Mahouts and their Elephants were offered jobs as rangers in National Parks, however, the project lacked the necessary funding and it was said the Mahouts suffered from loneliness.  In 2006, another initiative named ‘Bring Elephants Home’ was set up in the Surin province.  Surin is home to approximately a quarter of Thailand’s domesticated Elephants.  Mahouts were offered 8,000 Baht per month to relocate with their Elephants and settle into a designated area of Surin.  The initiative took a turn for the worst though when complaints that the area lacked sufficient tall grass and water saw the take up of 181 Elephants in the first year drop to 61 by 2008.

Considering the average full time wage for a shop worker in Surin would be about 6-7,000 Baht, the Mahouts were ostensibly offered a very attractive financial package.  I just cannot comprehend why the initiative did not do more in terms of planting the right food or selecting a better location, and providing the obvious necessity of an adequate water supply.  My feeling is that some Mahouts may have used these points as exit excuses, choosing the more lucrative illegal option of earning 2,000 Baht per day walking the Elephants in the Red Light Districts of Thailand’s cities.


In 2006, the Thai Government set up the ‘Stray Elephant Task Force’ to support the ‘Bring Elephants Home’ initiative. Members of this force deemed the job unsafe, claiming that it was extremely difficult and dangerous to interfere between an Elephant and its Mahout. The Police have a similar attitude, fearing an angry Mahout may startle their Elephant, a 300 Baht fine is really not worth endangering the public. It is almost 20 years since the logging industry ceased trading.  There are currently around 4,000 domesticated Elephants in Thailand and an increasing number are being migrated from poor rural villages to the urban streets in the name of money. For all the Governments efforts in the last seven years, nothing has changed.

In my eyes, there is now no alternative solution except a final solution, and a humane one at that.  Street Elephants should be confiscated without a second chance for their keepers.  The Elephants should be re-homed in national parks or sanctuaries outlawing this practice completely. There is simply no excuse for this practice to exist in the year 2009, the Thai Government has the money and resources to solve this problem efficiently. After Elephant confiscation, Mahouts and their helpers should be offered the chance of a new career. A back to work scheme which provides training and monetary support while they learn new skills should be implemented.

The current situation just exists as another reminder of the huge gap between provincial poverty and urban wealth that the country refuses to address.  Is it not about time the dignity of this cultural symbol of national pride was fully restored?



You can donate money to help save the Street Elephants by searching the internet for Eleaid.