Recent weeks have seen a spate of deaths and injuries to humans caused by captive animals used in the tourist trade, adding fuel to the debate on whether animals should be used for entertainment.
The latest incident occurred on Tuesday (November 18) at Phuchada Safari in Chalong, where mahout Wittawat Salangan, 22, was crushed to death by the elephant in his care.
The bull elephant had been chained because he was in musth – a periodic condition when adult male elephants can be aggressive towards other elephants and their handlers due to high testosterone levels – but the safari owners felt that he had been chained long enough and told Wittawat to release him and get him ready for work. It was then that the elephant attacked.
The previous Sunday a mahout was killed by his elephant in Phang Nga while being ridden by two tourists. Tranquilliser darts were used to bring the elephant under control.
In October, an Australian tourist was injured in a tiger attack at Tiger Kingdom in Kathu. Paul Goudie, 49, from Melbourne, Australia, was mauled by the tiger after posing with it for photographs.
Plans to open a dolphinarium in Chalong have been the most controversial, sparking anger among animal rights advocates world wide. A swath of NGOs, environmentalists, students and academics have joined the protests against the dolphinarium, which although complete, has not yet opened.
Ironically, it is illegal to catch dolphins in Thai waters.
In a positive move against animal cruelty, Thailand’s National Legislative Assembly (NLA) passed the country’s first ever Animal Welfare Bill on November 13.
The bill is designed to punish people who abuse or neglect animals. It covers domesticated pets, animals raised for food, working animals, animals kept for entertainment purposes, wild animals in captivity and animals kept for any other purpose – prohibiting cruel treatment of animals and stipulating that owners/carers must provide appropriate living conditions and a certain level of animal welfare.
However, the Soi Dog Foundation, which played an advisory role in the crafting of the legislation, expressed disappointment that the new bill does not go far enough.
Should we continue to use animals for entertainment purposes, particularly if there is a strong demand, or should we put a stop to the practice once and for all?
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