Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
A BRITISH TOURIST has been trampled to death by an elephant on the Thai tourist island of Koh Samui, the latest deadly attack by animals used to entertain holidaymakers.
The man, identified by police as Gareth Crowe, 36, was riding on the animal’s back with his daughter on Monday afternoon when it suddenly threw them off, police said.
“We suspect that the hot weather made the elephant angry and that he was not accustomed to his mahout,” said Paiboon Omark, Samui district chief.
A mahout is the person who trains, controls and rides an elephant, usually after years of building up a close bond with the animal.
Paiboon said Crowe had a prosthetic leg and was unable to run away from the marauding pachyderm.
His daughter and the mahout, a Myanmar national, were both injured but escaped and were out of danger, he added.
The elephant, named ‘Golf’, was tranquillised and brought under control, he said.
A spokesman at the British embassy said they were aware of the incident and were providing assistance to the victim’s family.
Thailand has an estimated 4,000 domesticated elephants, many working in the tourism trade, alongside some 2,500 wild elephants.
In August, an elephant killed his mahout with three terrified Chinese tourists still on his back. The tourists survived.
Thailand’s use of animals for tourism is under increased scrutiny following a string of scandals and investigations by rights groups.
The government is currently locked in a battle with a controversial Tiger Temple that refuses to hand over hundreds of big cats despite holding them illegally.
In 2013, the pop star Rihanna inadvertently highlighted another thriving illegal trade when she posted a selfie with a slow loris.
The endangered primates are a protected species yet are often found with illegal handlers in tourist regions who charge holidaymakers for pictures.
Conservationists are meeting with Thai government officials on Wednesday to lobby for better animal welfare standards across the tourism trade.
“In my view, male elephants should not be in the tourism industry, they’re simply too unpredictable,” Edwin Wiek, from Wildlife Friends of Thailand, one of the groups attending the meeting, told AFP.
He added that almost all the killings of mahouts and tourists during rides in recent years had involved male elephants, sometimes when they are in must, a state associated with the rutting season when males display aggressive behaviour fuelled by a surge of testosterone.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Thais are nice folks but you never ever disrespect their royals. Just not done.
Thais are nice folks except when you’re involved in a disagreement with them- then you’ll see them turn nasty very quickly and how they always see the foreigner is to blame, even if they are in the right. If you have a road traffic accident in Thailand that wasn’t your fault you’ll still end up paying for it because you’re not Thai, that’s the way things work over there.
Thais might be friendly but I’d never trust one.
Yeah remember crossing the border from Malaysia and the immigration officers had to be paid off to let us in.
Your right, Thai people are fiercely proud people, they love their king and country and will just about always back their own! A word of advice, get insurance and a dashcam if you intend to drive in Thailand in the future.
Your storey is not credible.There is no fee at immigration.So if you paid,then more fool you.
Who are you to question the veracity and start name calling. Were you travelling there in 2001? Why don’t you pick on the commenter who says that not a single Thai person can be trusted – is that a fair comment?
Hmmm where did you cross the border? I find that hard to believe, I have crossed the border many times both by land and sea and never had a problem
@ MGrey,Yes I was travelling there in 2001 and 15 years before that date too.Ive never heard of any monies being demanded unless someone has overstayed the period that a visa has been issued for.Which is a fine and not a bribe.
Im not bringing into question the correctness or accuracy of your comment,thats for you to establish.
And after almost 30 years living and working in The Kingdom I do trust my Thai friends.Maybe Inanimate Carbon Rod needs to become more animated.
Dont dictate what my opinion should be whether it pleases you or not,or to whom it be directed.
I haven’t dictated anything to anyone and your snotty response and basically calling me a liar is unacceptable. Your naive attitude to corruption is also embarrassing.
Many thanks for the compliment MGrey.I find it comical that you consider me to be naive,which must be an embarrassment.I dont remember calling you a liar,I merely said that I found your comment not to be credible.
Read the link I posted and stop embarrassing yourself even more!
I read it but unlike you I dont believe everything I read.Id hardly associate comments from trolls that have been hard done by on a forum such as tripavdisor to be gospel.
I forgive you.
Bit of generalization on that one mate. 65 million Thais and none to be trusted? Ignorant narrow minded thoughts. I’m married to a Thai and working in Thailand 6 years and find the people to be trustworthy. I suppose all Irish are drunken street brawlers?
I’ve known Thailand for very many years. I spend the winters in Hua Hin. I have many Thai friends.
I find the Thais very honest and trustworthy. They are lovely people and very hospitable. One can
find good and bad in all societies.
Cash is King in Thailand, it’s all about money, deceit and corruption. At least it’s not about religion, thankfully.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej celebrates his 86th birthday tomorrow December 5th.Though his is not now in Bangkok but was moved to the quiet coastal town of Hua Hin.Many happy returns your Majesty.
Thanks Abinger, I attended The Birthday celebrations up at the palace in Hua Hin among the thousands of well
wishers. The H.M. The King is a wonderful person and has devoted his life to helping the poor as the rest of his
family also have.. I’m very fond of the Royal family. LONG LIVE THE KING!
@Pat: The demonstrations had nothing to do with HRH King Bhumibol Adulyadej. They were part of ongoing dissatisfaction with the current regime and the PM’s stupid attempt at trying to pass an amnesty bill that would allow her brother to return to the country and not face charges of corruption. How she honestly thought that was going to happen I’ll never know.
Stupid stupid people. Some day they might wake up and realise instead of having a revolution every two years they should kick out the fella on top.
Try saying that in Thailand and see how it goes down. To your statement makes nonsense, it’s like saying that overthrowing the queen of England would make a difference to how politicans operate.
What a stupid stupid statement! They are demonstrating against the government not the king. Just because you don’t like the idea of a king, leave them be.
I always find the gentle ways of the Thai lovely when I visit and I think that the demonstrators efforts to clean up for the king show an incredible maturity. What a lovely gesture.
have your say