The arrest of a mahout with his begging-elephant in Bangkok-Center

I was confronted in the Sukhumvit Rd. with police officers escorting a mahout with his “begging elephant”.

One of the officers has confiscated his hook which they are using to
keep the animal under control. I could not communicate with the police
because of my knowledge of the Thai language is (still) not sufficient.
I suppose that the mahout mistreated his elephant with this instrument
or he threatened somebody on the road which is easy to believe knowing
their behavior.

I followed the escort of various officers on foot, of which one carried a riffle, by motorbike and a police car.

Almost at the end of the trip, which ended at Lumpini Police station, another mahout with his baby-elephant was forced to join.

In front of the police station an officer started showering the animals
with a hose and the mahouts emptied their bags with the elephant-food
they are selling to the tourists.

After finishing my shots, which was making the mahout of the baby angry again, I went home.

I think that they will get a fine on the spot of 500 Baht (around 10 Euro) and to-morrow they are roaming around again.



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