Vacation
Thailand - thai elephants
... by ash-hotel.com
Thai people have always held the elephants in high esteem. Traditionally, they are considered the highest of beasts. A white elephant (albino), for example, is regarded as noble and even divine.
T
his pre-eminence of elephants was such
that during the early Rattanakosin Period (late 1700s), the emblem of the Thai Kingdom was
a white elephant transfixed on a yellow flag. And, when heads of state visit Thailand,
they are welcomed with an elephant procession -- considered the greatest honor that can be
bestowed a visitor. But elephants do not only take part in royal functions, they also make
for an efficient beast of burden, carrying logs to and from the rivers, serving as means
of t
ransportation, even working on
the fields.
The Thai kings are so enamored of the elephants that during battles, they deem it dignified to ride in them. Because of this some elephants even given important titles, such as Plai Pimarchai," "Plai Atyaramat," "Chap Phraya Prabtrichak," and "Chao Phraya Chaiyauupharb." All these elephants earned their titles in the battlefield.
A member of the mammal family, elephants are characterized by a long trunk, which is
actually an elongated nose. It uses this trunk to pick up food as well as to suck up water
that is then sprayed into its mouth. Its pair of tusks normally grow into enormous
lengths. Its large head consists of a honeycomb skull bone, which,. Compared to its
overall size, is relatively light.
Its average life span is about 60-100 years. A newborn elephant calf weighs about 90 kg and stands about one meter tall. They mate at about 8-12 years. Wild elephants live in herds, each led by a bull elephant. No one has successfully kept count of wild elephants in Thailand. But, if you, are lucky, you may see several at national forest reserves.
Elephants are still considered the best beast of burden in Thailand because the animals can work in any environment and can move in difficult terrain. Another advantage is that, unlike modern-day machines, they require less maintenance.
However, it's not easy to meet the demand for elephants. To train a baby elephant -- to complete the entire "course" -- takes almost the same amount of time it takes to send a child through school.
This is how the baby elephants are trained. First, the tenderfoot learns tricks such as lying down and walking in rows. Then, when they reach the age of five, life gets a bit tougher
They move into the intermediate level and by that time, they begin to concentrate more on various work skills. They learn to roll and push logs, each of which, takes weeks to learn. After a time, they are ready for the purpose for which they were trained.
The Mahout
The bond that ties an elephant to society is nurtured through the close
relationship between an individual elephant and its mahout, or keeper. In the
past, a mahout commanded respect, as well as social rank. Like husband and wife,
a dedicated mahout is inseparable from his charge.
As in all noble professions passed down from generation to generation, a boy
aspiring 
to
become a mahout goes into apprenticeship, just as any other master craftsman,
until he is fit for an elephant of his own. Since elephants and humans live
about the same number of years, the father of a promising boy mahout might look
to purchase him a baby elephant. The boy and the elephant calf thus grow up
together, becoming a team in both work and in play .
At three or four years old, a baby elephant is weaned from it mother to learn how to live with man. After about a week , the young elephant is ready to receive training from its mahout and to learn the basics: kneel, push, pull, move left, move right, and so forth.
Training should be a gentle and patient process, a compassionate bonding between two life- long partners. An elephant's true mahout can be recognized by the willingness with the elephant lovingly allows its partner to ride astride its neck.
An accomplished mahout must master numerous skills to properly take care of
and communicate with his animal. Highly important are the knowledge of a proper
diet and of medicinal remedies, ensuring a healthy existence.
Mahouts guide their wards by three methods: ear, foot and leg pressure, voice commands, and with an ankus or "hook", a stick ending in a blunt hook. Control is similar to the way a horseman uses spurs in directing his horse, and when used properly the hook does not hurt the elephant through his thick but sensitive skin.
Unfortunately, our changing world has lowered the status of mahouts. Elephants are no longer either an important means of transport, or a weapon on the battlefield. These hobs were replaced in the last century by the arduous occupation of logging When was banned in 1989, the team's way of life change dramatically through the loss of a steady income and the difficulty of acquiring 250 kilos of food a day.
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