circus shows

trekking

painting

street begging

The Elephant Round Up, Surin Province, North East Thailand

“For centuries the inhabitants of Surin were renowned for their ability to catch and train elephants, indispensable creatures employed in both labor and war. The Thai elephant has an historic importance to Thai culture in innumerable ways and even graced the national flag during the reign of King Rama II.

To commemorate both the importance of the Thai elephant and the local peoples’ important relationship with them, the Surin Elephant Round Up show has been held annually since 1960, in mid November.

Now an internationally recognized event, the Round Up includes the demonstration of the various techniques which were used to capture and train elephants, a presentation of ancient elephant warfare techniques, a tug-of-war between men and elephants, and elephant talent shows and competitions.

The sheer volume of watching over 200 hundred elephants parade into the show ground is both impressive and breathtaking. These elephants are brought together for this annual event but what we find difficult to comprehend is the immense cruelty witnessed throughout the entire weekend.

Shocking handling of baby elephants

Sadly, what detracted from the show was the shocking handling of young elephants by inexperienced street kids who were aggressively begging for money in and around the show ground. They were selling bags of sugarcane at 20 Baht, and charging 50 Baht for a photo. We saw elephants as young as 1 year old being stabbed and controlled with sharp nails and hooks. Every single baby elephant had bloodied heads and wild frightened eyes. By their demeanor and actions we believe some young kids were drunk or had taken drugs. They were seen driving the hook into the elephants’ head, kicking them, pulling tails, and forcing tricks even when tourists were not present, seemingly for their own amusement. Foreign and local tourists were handing over cash to these kids who seem to be making 1000’s of Baht daily. The Surin Round Up is a lucrative weekend for them.

Isn’t it time that Thailand makes a long term commitment to protect the future of the Thai elephant, and tourists can see these magnificent animals treated with kindness and respect?

More photos available on our Facebook page:

- Surin Round Up 2012

- Surin Round Up 2013

At the back of the show ground: Baby elephant, approx 2 years old, severely stabbed in his head with a hook by young kids

A very impressive, magnificent bull, in traditional Thai regalia

A very impressive demonstration of the various techniques which were used to capture elephants.

So many young elephants from as young as 1 years old, chained, and with fresh blood wounds on their heads

Fresh blood wound from the hook or nail in the inner ear

Forced to do ‘trunk up’ and squeak to say thank you.

Hooks, nails, and chains...

More wounds and scars....

Baby elephants paraded around the streets, the guys sold bags of sugarcane at 50 Baht. All these young elephants should still be nursing from their mother