Chiang Rai News

Thinking Like an Elephant in Thailand

John Roberts is the Director of Elephants at the Anantara Resort Golden Triangle

CHIANG RAI – Elephants are endangered throughout their range countries. Asian elephants in Thailand are of particular concern, with approximately 1,500 left in captivity, and 2,000 remaining in the wild in Thailand. (There are fewer than 50,000 elephants throughout Asia.)

Elephants are widely regarded as one of the most intelligent species on Earth, but remarkably little empirical evidence exists to support this. Most of what we know of elephants comes from extensive, long-term field research in Africa, but little has been done experimentally to test how elephants think about their environment and about each other.

Understanding elephant behavior helps scientists to both better understand the evolution of intelligence in non-primates, and to potentially develop human-elephant conflict mitigation protocols that recognize and take into account the social and physical intelligence of elephants in the wild.

At the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF), a Thai non-profit organisation based in Chiang Rai, Dr. Plotnik is investigating elephant cognitive complexity, conducting experiments on memory, problem-solving, and cooperation. Non-invasive cognitive and physiological research on captive elephants complements wild elephant research by providing a controlled environment in which careful analysis of behavior can be performed and interpreted for future application to wild elephant management.

The more we learn about elephants, the more we can educate the public about our need to protect them, and the more comprehensive our approach to working to mitigate human-elephant conflict, specifically the encroachment of wild elephants on private land, will be. The project research team – led by Dr. Plotnik is currently conducting a wide-range of studies on elephant memory, cooperation, problem-solving, and reasoning.

Asian elephants in Thailand are of particular concern, with approximately 1,500 left in captivity, and 2,000 remaining in the wild in Thailand.

A note about the elephants at GTAEF:

Prior to 1989, captive elephants were primarily used in the logging industry. Following the commercial ban on logging in that year, thousands of captive elephants were left jobless. Due to a large number of captive elephants, and not enough wild land to support them, many of these elephants went into tourism. The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation is a Thai not-for-profit foundation currently home to 30 elephants and their mahouts (caretakers) and families. Most of these elephants were ex-street begging elephants, or elephants that spent their days on the streets of major cities with their mahouts and owners begging for food and tips. Unfortunately, the number of captive elephants still exceeds the number of elephants needed in tourism, and there is little traditional elephant handlers can do but to seek alternative means of income.

Meet the Scientists

Dr. Joshua Plotnik

University of Cambridge

Dr. Joshua Plotnik, Ph.D. is a Newton Postdoctoral Fellow in the Dept. of Experimental Psychology at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. He received his Ph.D. at Atlanta’s Emory University, US, studying animal behavior and comparative psychology. In addition to elephants, research interests have included corvid prosociality and cooperation, and chimpanzee social behavior, cognition and face recognition. Joshua is currently Head of Elephant Research, at the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF) in Thailand, and the founder of Think Elephants International, a U.S. based non-profit focused on wildlife conservation education programming in primary and secondary school classrooms. He can read, write and speak Thai.

John Roberts

Anantara Resort Golden Triangle

John Roberts is the Director of Elephants at the Anantara Resort Golden Triangle, Chiang Rai, Thailand. He gained a degree in Materials Science and Engineering at Bath University, UK, before volunteering in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park in the desert of West Texas. He pursued this interest in conservation, working in Northern Australia, followed by five years in Chitwan National Park, Nepal. In Thailand, John coordinates a charity foundation, bringing juvenile elephants and their mahouts from Bangkok and giving them a forest home. John is a trustee of the International Trust for Nature Conservation, and has contributed articles to several publications, including Bird Conservation Nepal.

Dr. Cherry

Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok

Dr. Cherry is one of only several, trained elephant veterinarians in Thailand. She is the full-time elephant veterinarian for the GTAEF, but also spends time training and working at the Thai Elephant Conservation Center’s main government elephant hospital in Lampang. She has attended many conferences and workshops (including international conferences on elephant health and wildlife management), and been involved with elephant health training programs for foreign vets and researchers. Dr. Cherry received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, and immediately took up her elephant medical training upon graduation. She is a native Thai speaker, and can read, write and speak English.

Chiang Rai News

Chiang Rai Man Kills Woman’s Infant Daughter When She Refuses His Sexual Advances

Police in Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai Province have arrested a 50 year old man after the threatened to rape a 20 year-old woman and the proceeded to murder her 2 and half month old baby.

Police with doctors from Wiang Kaen Hospital and the Chao Luang Wiang Kaen Welfare Association were summoned to the scene of the incident to a 2-story cement house, Village No. 2, Tha Kham Subdistrict, Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai

On arrival they found Ms. Chanikarn, age 20, in a state of distress crying uncontrollably beside her 2 and a half month baby girl (Linlada) that was dead on the floor.

After calming Ms. Chanikarn, the child’s mother, said that at approximately 2:30 p.m she was out to collect diapers that had been dried in front of the house, while her 2 and a half month old daughter was sleep on the ground floor of the house.

She said she was suddenly approached by a Mr. Lee, about 40 years old, who lived on the opposite side of the road. He came towards her and grabbed her arm and threatened her saying if she didn’t sleeping with him he will go and kill his daughter.

Miss Chanikan refused and ran away, then Mr. Lee then walked into the house and grabbed Ms. Linlada’s leg, smashing the child’s head against the cement floor of the house. The infant died immediately.

Mr. Lee then just walked away and returned to his own home, leaving Miss Chanikan and her dead baby.

When police went to Mr. Lee’s home he immediately confessed killing the infant and was taken to Wiang Kaen Police Station for further questioning. Under caution he told police that he was sexually attracted to Miss Chanikan‘s and when her husband leave for work he took the opportunity to approach her.

He said when he saw her husband leave he crossed that road and found Miss Chanikan in the yard alone, he then threatened her to sleep with him, saying he would kill her child if she didn’t have sex with him. However when she refused he flew into a fit of rage walked into her home and murdered he baby. He said he was out of control with rage.

After killing the infant he walk across the street to his home and waited for the police to arrive. The police have charged him with premeditated murder and attempted rape. He is being held without bail at the local remand center.

Meanwhile, Miss Chanikan and her family were preparing a religious burial ceremony for the child.

Other Chiang Rai News:

Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai

https://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiangrai-news/machete-wielding-man-shot-an-killed-by-police-in-chiang-rai/

Chiang Rai News

Police in Chiang Rai Launch Crackdown on Cyber Criminals in Golden Triangle

CHIANG RAI: Prime Minister Settha Thavisin has authorized the establishment of an emergency cyber center operated by the Royal Thai Police to combat transnational crimes committed by call center gangs along the Thai border in Chiang Rai province.

On July 19, Prime Minister Settha Thavisin directed the Center to combat information technology crimes. The Royal Thai Police (Royal Thai Police) will crack down on call center gangs in Myanmar, Laos, and along the border.

His directive comes as call center gangs ratchet up their scams to defraud people of their money, causing concern among Thais and jeopardizing the country’s economic and social stability.

Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division, Assigned Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai Pitanilabut, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Police/Deputy Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division, has launched the operation ‘Bombing the Thieves’ Bridge’ in collaboration with the CAT Office, G., mobile phone network operators AIS DTAC TRUE NT, and local security agencies to cut the mobile phone signal and WiFi internet that criminals illegally use to deceive Thai citizens.

Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division

Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai stated that they will begin pressing the first action of the ‘Explosion of Thieves’ Bridge’ in Chiang Rai Province toward the thieves’ base of operations in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone.

The territory surrounding King Roman in Laos. King Roman is now a full-service entertainment destination with an airport that welcomes travelers from Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar, he explained.

According to Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai, this operation will have no influence on honest people along the Thai border, and it will only target cyber criminals.

They will also increase the arrest and prosecution of unlawful service towers, such as SIM booths, which allow gangs register SIM cards to swindle the people. Dealing with criminal organizations of foreigners and Thais who band together to deceive and damage Thais.

Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) suspended more than three million SIM cards on July 16 because the holders had not verified their identities with their mobile phone operators by the deadline, in accordance with the NBTC’s measures to combat alleged fraudsters’ mule accounts.

The names of the holders of 80 million mobile phone numbers used for mobile banking transactions did not match the names associated with the mobile banking accounts.

The NBTC would require mobile phone companies to authenticate SIM card holders and the names of their mobile banking accounts. The verification procedure is expected to be completed by the end of September this year.

In addition, the NBTC and Royal Thai Police have collaborated to combat illegal telecom towers throughout the country’s borders, disconnecting signals at 465 places, altering antenna direction at 470 towers, and dismantling antennas at 179 locations.

They are certain that the move will disrupt contact center gangs and other types of technology-based crime.

Other Chiang Rai News:

Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai

https://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiangrai-news/machete-wielding-man-shot-an-killed-by-police-in-chiang-rai/

Chiang Rai News

Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai

Police in Mae Chan, Chiang Rai, shot and killed a 28-year-old man who allegedly attacked a police officer with a machete. The officer was slashed in the right leg with the machete.

According to police, the culprit, known only as Mr. Toon, had been harassing local villagers in Mae Chan district, Chiang Rai, threatening them with a knife and using violet insults.

The village headman arrived on the scene to try to calm Mr. Toon, but he was shouting hysterically and taking swipes at him with the machete, so he contacted the police.

When the responding officer arrived at the site about 9 p.m., he attempted to calm the man, but he instead assaulted the officer, slashing his right leg with the machete. In self-defense, the cop had to fire his gun at Mr. Toon, striking him in the chest.

Mr. Toon and the policeman were taken to Mae Chan Hospital, where Mr. Toon died of a gunshot wound. Pol Sgt. Sutthikiat Phanomphraisakul was released from the hospital after receiving numerous stitches for his injuries.

Local police received a tip around 9.30 p.m. yesterday that a guy was causing mayhem in the village. When authorities arrived, they discovered 28-year-old Toon strolling along a public road, holding a large knife and threatening people. Mae Chan district officials attempted to contain the incident.

During a search of Mr. Toon’s home, authorities discovered methamphetamine consumption equipment. Locals told authorities that the man was addicted to Yaba (Methamphetamine) and an alcoholic.

The authorities are conducting an inquiry to determine Toon’s motivations and whether any underlying issues contributed to his violent outburst.