Netizen Shares How Elephants in Thailand Are Allegedly Trained To Give Rides & It’s Inhumane

For the longest time, elephant rides have enthralled many.

And honestly speaking, it’s rather understandable. Sitting atop a huge ass elephant as it treks down forested paths?

Cool.

Yet, it seems that in a recurring case of ‘Shark’s Fin Syndrome’… these thrilling experiences are derived at the expense of something greater;

The elephants themselves.

Disturbing News

On 2 May 2018, a Twitter user known by the handle of Uncle Barry tweeted a rather disturbing piece of news on the platform.

Proses ini dipanggal "Phajaan". Proses yg kejam yg mana baby gajah dipisah cara paksa & didera. Last2 bagi pelancong naik seronok2. So, bile pegi Siam, jgn gatal2 nak naik gajah. RT utk pengetahuan bersama! #StopAnimalCruelty #elephant pic.twitter.com/YqPv8TwJem

— Uncle Barry (@fuzirbarry) May 2, 2018

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you’re not seeing things. In order to ensure the elephants’ obedience…

They’re subjected to torture so harsh, they end up being broken in both body and spirit.

Training… or abuse?

According to Uncle Barry, animal trainers commonly employ a form of elephant crushing known only as Phajaan. In Thailand, this means “breaking the elephant’s spirit”.

“How does it work?” you hesitantly ask. Well, it’s kind of simple, really.

Wild baby elephants are often taken away from their mothers and chained up against their will, before being subjected to torturous abuse that serves to mentally break them.

This makes them submissive towards their trainer.

On the other hand, adult elephants are slotted into cages, where they are held with strong ropes to prevent movement. Thereafter, they’ll be ‘treated’ to daily beatings using various weapons that are designed to inflict “maximum pain and suffering”.

Slowly, the elephant will give in to the pain and no longer fight back. Hence the phrase “breaking the elephant’s spirit”.

If you thought that the elephants’ll be treated better once they submit, however, you’re wrong. Apparently, trainers utilise bullhooks to strike the elephants on the head, in order to remind them to stay submissive.

Unsurprisingly, the act does its toll.

You can stop inhumanity tortured on elephants by stop riding an elephant! pic.twitter.com/oYtPd0wXzI

— abang baik (@faizalghazaly) April 12, 2019

What can one do?

Well, it’s rather simple, really.

Stop taking elephant rides altogether.

I mean sure. They’re thrilling. They’re fun. You get to ride on something larger than you’ll ever get to in the bedroom. But the fact remains that…

You’re getting those perks at the expense of a living creature’s life.

So stay away from elephant rides. Not because they’re not thrilling, but because by doing so you might be able to contribute towards a greater cause in the future. After all, as Econs never fail to remind us…

If there’s no demand, there will be no supply too.