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"By Lek Chailert" 19 Jul 2005
Last night around 23.00 pm I am on my way back to Chiang Mai from the park
, I received a phone call from the police and Municipal officials in Chiang Mai. They want my
help to
catch a baby elephant, who was taken, by her owner to beg in the streets. She
ran into some restaurants and had caused widespread damage sustaining injuries during
the chaos. But this time I was far from the city because our car had broken down
on
the road and we were in the middle of a heavy rain storm. I am
soaking wet from helping my driver tried to fix the car.
I called to one of our staff, Chom, who was at our downtown office at the time,
for help. He obliged and it took over an hour to calm down the panicked young elephant.
I arrived in Chiang Mai about midnight and saw a baby elephant aged
about 6 year old. She looked so depressed and panicked. She was shaking in fear
amongst
hundreds of people. TV, newspaper reporters and a crowd of onlookers await the
elephants owner because she had been damaged some cars, motorcycles
and shops. The poor
baby elephant looked so tired. Chom stayed close to her, comforting the
distresses youngster. He hugged her to calm her down and show her who's side we
were on. The baby had been hurt a little during her fracas but she was more nervous than
anything. We can not find her mahout or owner because the former had run away.
The police put this incident on record they took statements from the
claimants. The authorities then asked us to take the beleaguered youngster to
Elephant Nature Park to wait for her owner to come to pick her up and clear all
the problems.
We transport her to our park last night and arrive around 0430 am. I just arrive
back to the office this morning.
More - The Story of Boon Rod - a begging elephant |
