About the tiger temple – an answer from ... - Thorn Tree travel forum

About the tiger temple – an answer from the temple

Replies: 47 - Last Post: 23-Jun-2009 15:18 Last Post By: Khunwilko

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Posted
07-Jun-2005 15:22
by: Paruj

Posts: 2
Registered: 07/06/05

About the tiger temple – an answer from the temple

Link to the tiger temple that I am referring to:
http://www.tigertemple.com/Eng/

Recently, there has been a heated discussion whether or not the tigers at the temple are drugged. Concerned that people might have been misinformed, I wrote a letter to the temple asking for a clarification. The original correspondence was in Thai. Its English version is posted below.

To: webmaster@tigertemple.org
From: Paruj Ratanaworabhan
Subject: About the tigers at the temple

Dear Head Abbot and Webmaster,
My name is Paruj Ratanaworabhan, a Thai student studying in the US. I have recently visited a Thailand travel forum and there were posted questions asking for details about the tiger temple. There were some answers that seemed to suggest that the tigers at the temple were drugged (to tame them) and appeared to be in perpetual lethargy. I must admit that such comments worry me. Therefore, may I ask for a clarification from you, so that I can pass your words on to others.

Thank you very much.

Respectfully yours,
Paruj

From: webmaster@tigertemple.org
Sent: Sunday, June 5, 2005 5:20 AM
To: Paruj Ratanaworabhan
Subject: Re: About the tigers at the temple

Dear Paruj,
We are very pleased to address your concern and would like you to spread the words out to other people that the tigers at the temple have never been drugged. They are tame and obedient because they trust the monks and their caretakers. The reason for their seemingly lethargic behavior is that tigers are active at night, the time when they prey. A lot of people have questions about the white tablets we give to the tigers during performance in front of tourists. Those tablets are milk powder tablets made by the Royal Project; you can buy them from a Seven Eleven store nationwide.

Please come to visit us and see for yourself.

Chakrit (Manager of the Tiger Temple Foundation)

As an aside note not directly related to this topic, I have to admit that it is heartwarming coming to this forum, learning that there are foreigners who come to Thailand and love the country even more than the Thai people themselves. Thank you for loving Thailand. Have a safe traveling and enjoy your stay.

- Paruj

Posted
07-Jun-2005 15:43
by: thaifan

Posts: 66
Registered: 03/12/03

1

Thanks paruj,for clearing that up.I visited the tiger temple 2 years ago and did not think they were drugged,and said so on this forum.

Same Same, but different !

Posted
07-Jun-2005 16:18
by: BeerLao

Posts: 1,848
Registered: 09/12/01

2

After my cat eats a lot of meat you damn near have to set her on fire to wake her up. Do these big cats eat a lot of fresh meat everyday? Probably. The heat and lack of exercise would possibly make their metabalisim very slow. I can see where people might think the cats are drugged. I don't know, never seen them.

pull my finger

Posted
07-Jun-2005 16:19
by: BeerLao

Posts: 1,848
Registered: 09/12/01

3

PS Very good post Paruj. Thank you.

pull my finger

Posted
07-Jun-2005 20:23
by: Batfish

Posts: 1,358
Registered: 24/09/01

4

I mean, would visitors prefer the cats to be leaping around, growling and biting things?

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Posted
07-Jun-2005 20:49
by: Highwayman

Posts: 78
Registered: 03/11/02

5

Paruj, thanks for taking the time to check with the temple itself for their comments, l don't think anyone has thought to do that before, at least not that l've seen on this forum.

I've not been to the temple myself, just seen footage on tv and if our cat (see my profile) is anything like those tigers then the explanation as to why they seem so lethargic makes sense to me. Perhaps you could suggest to the webmaster that the temple address the concerns raised here on the temple website itself as a lot of people who have been there do think the tigers are drugged and this must be impacting on the number of people who visit.

Despite the negative comments posted here l always wondered why National Geographic didn't comment on the tigers supposedly being drugged in their documentary if it was really an issue. Perhaps they received the same explanation you did.

BeerLao, l think l remember from the NG doco that the tigers are fed mainly a mixture of chicken and vegetables.

Posted
07-Jun-2005 22:08
by: girllrig

Posts: 2,603
Registered: 08/02/02

6

I did not think they were drugged either when I went, however just because they say so does not mean it is the truth, you know.

Posted
07-Jun-2005 22:38
by: BeerLao

Posts: 1,848
Registered: 09/12/01

7

BeerLao, l think l remember from the NG doco that the tigers are fed mainly a mixture of chicken and vegetables.

So that's what makes them fart so much

pull my finger

Posted
08-Jun-2005 14:03
by: Paruj

Posts: 2
Registered: 07/06/05

8

Highwayman,

>Perhaps you could suggest to the webmaster that the temple address the concerns raised here on the temple website itself as a lot of people who have been there do think >the tigers are drugged and this must be impacting on the number of people who visit.

This is a good idea. Thank you. I will do what you suggested.

girllrig,
To address your concern that they might not be telling the truth, I would like you to refer to this link, which is a page in the Thai version of the website.

http://www.tigertemple.org/News11.htm

Every tiger at the temple is checked every 6 months to ensure that it stays healthy. The tiger checkup team is led by veterinarians from the veterinary school of Chulalongkorn University, arguably the most respected veterinary school in Thailand. You see the temple is bringing the best thing to all the tigers, and they are not hiding anything. If it were the case that the tigers were drugged, the vet team and eventually the public would know about this and authorities would step in.

- Paruj

Posted
08-Jun-2005 22:55
by: Itchybollockov

Posts: 377
Registered: 12/12/02

9

So when I visited and was told by the handler that the tigers are sedated - and shown the drug that was being used - I guess he was telling me this "remove my fears" that the tiger might eat my daughter.

And I guess we have to accept the explanation given here at face value, putting asside the thought that it might be "to remove our fears" that the tigers are being mistreated.

And for those of us who have actually seend these animals in their drugged state - I guess we'll have to deny the evidence of our own eyes.

Posted
09-Jun-2005 12:06
by: thaifan

Posts: 66
Registered: 03/12/03

10

Itchy,you only saw tablets,which turn out to be milk powder tablets.

Same Same, but different !

Posted
09-Jun-2005 12:08
by: Itchybollockov

Posts: 377
Registered: 12/12/02

11

No I saw liquid medicine being added to drink bottles and I saw those drink bottles being used to feed the cubs a mixture of milk and sedative.

Posted
09-Jun-2005 14:00
by: callippo

Posts: 6,135
Registered: 12/07/04

12

I also was always skeptical that the Tigers were drugged, knowing they're nocturnal like all big cats.

However, I recall a bunch of tourists on the transport from KBuri reassuring themselves that the animals were drugged, to allay their fears of being mauled. This might be where the legend has its roots.

I guess he was telling me this "remove my fears" that the tiger might eat my daughter.

Is this the only time anybody's come across the syndrome in Thai that somebody, in good heart, might be telling you simply what they think you might want to hear?

The only way to clear this up for good is to get a sample of the animals blood I guess, and test it. Surely there must be an animal welfare group in Thailand that could manage this? If the Temple is made aware that the rumour might be impacting visitor numbers, it would surely be in their interests to agree to it.

Posted
09-Jun-2005 14:15
by: Itchybollockov

Posts: 377
Registered: 12/12/02

13

Quote
Is this the only time anybody's come across the syndrome in Thai that somebody, in good heart, might be telling you simply what they think you might want to hear?

I suspect the same thing.... but rather the source of the 'white lie' (if that's the way you want to look at it) is the response from the temple.

Let me say again, I asked, I was shown the drug, I saw the drug being adminstered.

Might I pose another question - I, TravelFish and others are reporting this drugging of tigers - not one souce, several people reporting the same thing.

The temple, or at least the OP, is reporting otherwise.

Qui Bono?

Posted
10-Jun-2005 01:24
by: callippo

Posts: 6,135
Registered: 12/07/04

14

Let me say again, I asked, I was shown the drug, I saw the drug being adminstered.

No offence, but it's a shame you weren't smart enough to grab a sample and bring it back to BKK and get it tested. If the result came back negative, you might have been tempted to tell a white lie yourself, seeing as you've been on a crusade about this one since I don't know when.

Maybe some veterinary student on a GAP year'll have to hug one of those Tigers with a syringe in one hand to clear this up.

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