Boycott Tiger Temple, Kanchanaburi

[Surawut]

To add to they're profits they have many farang vounteers working there for free .Also before entry you have to sign an agreement that if you are attacked by any of the beasts you waiver any claim of the sanctuary being held responsible,cute little business right enough.Im not too sure if the race based entry fee is in operation at the temple ?

No "raakhaa farang" there. Everyone entering, Thai and Farang, is charged the same price (300Baht) . A boycott by farangs would certainly affect the temple's income from Monday to Friday to a certain extent , but at weekends the visitors are predominately Thai. The temple is a very popular day trip for Thai people and I doubt if they would even know about a farang instigated boycott.

It is a very disappointing development. I have been there several times with o/s visitors. (twice in the last six months) I have talked with the Jao Aawaat several times and he always trots out the same story that the tigers are raised in the company of humans from cubs and that is why they are so docile in the company of humans.

[Betti]

when I read about successful breeding attempts or a tiger temple, it always makes me sad because these animals are not the real beasts any more, they are just shells of tigers as they once were. I mean, in the jungle they stay with their mothers for years and learn about survival skills, how to find food, water, how to hunt, etc. these tigers wouldn't be able to survive in the wild any more. but we are proud of ourselves saying "we are saving the tiger" and we think it is all right this way. same with so many other species that will practically become extinct in our lifetime while we are fooling ourselves.

[Khun Don]

Danes join Boycott of tiger temple
By The Nation

One of the biggest Danish tour operators has boycotted Kanchanaburi's famous Tiger Temple, due to its "highly dubious circumstances", a Scandinavian travel trade magazine reported.

"It looked very reliable, and the Tiger Temple was a major attraction, but after a report from Care for the Wild International (CWI), we must take responsibility as a tour operator," Billetkontoret sales manager Kasper Mydtikov was quoted as saying by Take Off recently.

Mydtikov was referring to an investigative report accusing the temple of providing poor facilities, handling its tigers roughly and being involved in the clandestine exchange of the felines with a tiger farm in Laos.

Take Off said many foreign tour operators had cancelled all visits to the temple and that Billetkontoret was the first Danish operator to do so.

Dubbed by tourists as the Tiger Temple, the Pa Luangta Maha Bua Yannasumpanno Forest Monastery has become a major attraction.

It has provided a home for tigers for years and was reported to the world via television documentaries on the Animal Planet and Discovery channels. Every year, tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world visit the temple. On busy days, visitor counts reach 700-800.

Temple representatives were not available for comment yesterday.

[wilko]

I visited the Temple many years ago on my own, no need for a managed Tour and it was O.K. back then.

Very sad to hear how it has changed since then.

it hasn't changed, it was always highly dubious....it just got bigger and conditions have not kept pace.

the stories given out about it's inception have little or no foundation in truth.


here is a quote from yet another organisation "Born Free Foundation" - Zoo Check who are also concerned with the place.


" In 2004, the Born Free Foundation became concerned about the number of reports being received from members of the public regarding the Tiger Temple and sent a representative to visit the attraction as a tourist. Our investigation showed that numerous tigers are made available for tourists to have their photographs taken with on a daily basis, for between 4-6 hours per day. Evidence suggests that these tigers are sedated. Many appear in poor condition and it seems that they are fed an inadequate diet. For the remainder of the day, the tigers are held in small, dirty, concrete enclosures with little natural light and lacking in any environmental enrichment. The tigers are currently breeding and there is concern regarding the possible removal of the cubs from the mothers, so that the mothers are constantly available for photographs. It appears that the monks are not experienced in tiger care, and their reported plans to extend the enclosures in order to breed more tigers for release into the wild are of great concern. Re-introduction is a very complex process, which involves considering the animals health, ability to survive in the wild and finding an appropriate, safe habitat for them to live in".

[fleagle]

Have only just seen this thread,hence my comments now.After reading an article/report written by Richard Barrow a few years back,I went there for the 1st time 12 days ago.What a disapointment.The entry fee is now 500 baht! I went with my Thai girl friend,and was charged 1000 baht for the 2 of us.My girl friend was standing next to me,but i had to get her to turn round to prove she was Thai,as the girl at the desk did not believe me.Hence,did get her fee knocked down to 300 baht.(The 2 tier pricing system in Thailand?Is it legal? I guess so because it happens all over the place.Sorry,going off track!)
Anyway,we went in with hundreds of other tourists,but only stayed for 1 hour 15min as opposed to the 3 hours or so we could of.This was because they seemed to rush through early pics that could be taken,and the actual walking of the tigers,just so they could get to the taking of the "special pics" as they called them.And as already mentioned earlier 1000 baht for the privilege! Was told by 1 of the farang helpers,that this was because they were trying to make so many millions of baht to build some sort of new enclosure nearby? Whether this was true or not i don't know.More than likely "just a line" to get tourists to part with more money.Oh,and nearly forgot,not a monk in sight! Admittedly they could have shown their faces after we left,but i have to say the whole thing just seems to be a big rip off.And i do mean hugely big rip off,as this place must be making some serious money.Anyway now i've got that of my chest i'll leave you all in peace.

[KhunChin]

The tigers are currently breeding and there is concern regarding the possible removal of the cubs from the mothers, so that the mothers are constantly available for photographs.

I am strongly against breeding in captivity. It is just like a soul is brought into prison. Initially, they are supposed to care for tigers who are ill-treated or injured.

Six of us went, saw the price and left.

[Richard Barrow]

Fleagle, thank for your update. I will update my blog with the new prices.

[Sparky]

my understanding was that some farrangs got involved and somehow persuaded the wat to make the tiger temple more of a commercial enterprise - to up the prices and "upgrade" the site.
When I went there a few years ago they were in the middle of some big renovations to the grounds.

[stevenl]

my understanding was that some farrangs got involved and somehow persuaded the wat to make the tiger temple more of a commercial enterprise - to up the prices and "upgrade" the site.
When I went there a few years ago they were in the middle of some big renovations to the grounds.

They still are in the middle of big renovations.

I think it is too easy though to use the usual Thai excuse: blame the foreigners. This is a Thai enterprise, run by Thais and the proceeds go to Thais.

[Roamin]

Having heard of the tiger temple, I suggested going there to my thai girlfriend. Her reply was, "No good there, they don't look after tiger properly, me no go, make me sad."

She is a fully qualified vet and after doing a search and reading the reports, I can understand why she said that.