In Thailand, elephants raise funds for Haiti earthquake relief
| Bangkok, Thailand
鈥� A local, slice-of-life story from a Monitor correspondent.
Like most 7-year-olds, Plai 鈥淧eter鈥� Noppakhao loves playing 鈥渃hase鈥� and squeals with delight at the sight of treats. He鈥檚 never heard of Haiti earthquake relief, yet recently Peter spent an afternoon with 24-year-old Plai Kacha and 14-year-old Plai Yodyeam soliciting donations for the Caribbean country鈥檚 earthquake victims.
Mingling good-naturedly among delighted camera-toting tourists in Bangkok鈥檚 backpacker district, they carried around white baskets painted with red crosses. The threesome raised 700,000 baht (more than US$21,000) for the Thai Red Cross Society鈥檚 Haiti Relief Fund, surpassing the Thai government鈥檚 donation.
And here鈥檚 the thing: Peter and his friends are elephants.
They live with more than 150 other pachyderms on an elephant sanctuary in Ayutthaya, 50 miles north of Bangkok.
That this revered yet endangered species can be recruited for help during emergencies and humanitarian crises comes as no surprise in Thailand. Elephants have helped to move toppled trees after monsoon floods, pulled cars from rivers, and cleared weed-clogged waterways. Five years ago when a massive tsunami devastated shores around the Indian Ocean, tuskers were used to remove debris and recover bodies in Thailand鈥檚 south.
鈥淓lephants not only lend practical help but their presence boosts morale,鈥� notes Ewa Narkiewicz, an Australian volunteer at the Royal Elephant Kraal and Village. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e an important and visible part of Thai life, both culturally and spiritually.鈥�
According to Buddhist belief, elephants are the last incarnation of sentient beings before becoming human; Buddha himself is believed to have been a white elephant in a previous life.
鈥淲e need to learn to live in harmony with animals and work together with them to make this world a better place,鈥� says Laithongrien Meepan, the kraal鈥檚 founder.
During the fundraiser for Haiti, Peter clearly relished the attention. He trumpeted happily on being pampered with sugar cane as the basket he held with his trunk filled with donations.
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