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Tiger Temple Kanchanaburi The Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi Thailand

Discussion in 'Thailand' started by Peter Dickinson, 21 Aug 2009.

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  1. Peter Dickinson

    Peter Dickinson Well-Known Member

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    The Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi, Thailand has, in the space of just a few years become one of the 'must sees' for visitors to Bangkok. It dresses itself up in a 'my buddy tiger' guise and, because it is situated in a Buddhist Temple with a Monk input it is 'almost' protected from criticism within the country. It is though cruel, commercial and exploitative. It only exists because of tourist visits.
    There are continued efforts from people and groups 'in the know' to get this place closed down and yet this week they were granted permission to become a zoo. Three people were arrested after protesting over this decision. This is bad news folks. Very bad news. Please read these links to learn more:
    The Tiger Temple The Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi Thailand
    and
    Very Bad News - The Tiger Temple Becomes a Zoo
    Zoo News Digest: Very Bad News - The Tiger Temple becomes a Zoo
     
  2. Kifaru Bwana

    Kifaru Bwana Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    With perplexed wide open eyes one reads this piece of a ... journalism! Oops, so much for conservation breeding? Do the monks really understand the concept ... no, not by a long shot or 60,000! :mad:
     
  3. vogelcommando

    vogelcommando Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  4. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    It is so disappointing that tourists continue to support a place like this.
     
  5. vogelcommando

    vogelcommando Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  6. Buldeo

    Buldeo Well-Known Member

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    The New York Times has also chimed in on the current situation.

    Thai Officials Battle Buddhist Monks Over Tigers' Fate

    The fact that the temple is probably involved in slaughtering tigers and trading body parts really sets my teeth on edge.

    Though, I must express some concern over the Thai government's ability to take in another hundred plus cats. By all available press, they're already stuffed to the gills with rescues that can't be returned to the wild.
     
  7. vogelcommando

    vogelcommando Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  8. overread

    overread Well-Known Member

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    Whilst religion has generally earned itself a bad reputation; bhuddist monks have managed to avoid this and generally have a very favourable reputation; even in films. So with no major negative media outcry at the activities happening at the Temple the average person has no reason to suspect that there are problems

    Bad care or rundown facilities might well be accepted as the trails and troubles of working in a more challenging country; whilst most people also have no clue about the care of tigers and thus might well assume that all that they are shown and see is correct and proper - and of course they won't be privy to the missing tiger details.


    There is an air of silence to this, nothing makes it into the media to highlight it whilst I suspect that as a major attraction the government doesn't want to rock the boat.



    Personally I think its a great shame that the temple could not involve itself with international organisations to improve their care and the overall conservation status of the tigers.
     
  9. vogelcommando

    vogelcommando Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  10. overread

    overread Well-Known Member

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  11. Crowthorne

    Crowthorne Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

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  12. Kifaru Bwana

    Kifaru Bwana Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    It is and was a shambles' and shameless location for both wild caught and tigers purportedly bred at the facility.

    But: truthfully there is no adequate acco as yet to house the confiscated tigers from the Kanchanaburi temple complex. That is equally disconcerting to me … and tends to get overlooked amidst all the internet hoarding and media hype.

    I wish they would prosecute the Kanchanaburi temple order properly and at the same time order them to pay up for better housing and a sound final solution for these captive tigers (surely most if not all are unlikely to be able to be sent back to the wild).

    It would be interesting to find out if the tigers are of Indochina or mixed origins ...
     
  13. overread

    overread Well-Known Member

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    That the temple monks are disrupting and apparently washing their hands of hte whole affair speaks volumes as to their motives somewhat.
     
  14. Loxodonta Cobra

    Loxodonta Cobra Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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  15. drill

    drill Well-Known Member

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  16. vogelcommando

    vogelcommando Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  17. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Given their past, I am not optimistic about this reopening. I really think it should be shut down completely.
     
  18. Kifaru Bwana

    Kifaru Bwana Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    @AD, agreed as I do have reservations too.

    It will be interesting to see who will manage it and whether adequate animal husbandry and management skills are in place and at the helm. If the national Thai ZPO would be on board and in control I would feel all the better.