1.
LV GROUP OF ELEPHANTS
0.03

2.
SV ALTAR ON FIELD
0.07

3.
SV CROWD
0.08

4.
SV ELEPHANTS ROUNDED UP (2 SHOTS)
0.20

5.
SV SPECTATORS
0.21

6.
SV & BV ELEPHANTS LIFT LOG
0.34

7.
CU SPECTATORS
0.37

8.
LV ELEPHANT RACE
0.45

9.
CU PHOTOGRAPHER
0.47

10.
LV ELEPHANT AND MEN BOW TO CROWD
0.53

11.
SV CROWD
0.54

12.
SV ELEPHANT TUGGING
0.58

13.
LV MEN SLIDING ALONG GROUND
1.03

14.
SV SPECTATORS LAUGH
1.05

15.
LV ELEPHANT PULLS MEN
1.10



Initials DHC/V/PW/PC



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: AN ANNUAL SPECTACULAR EVENT IN THAILAND IS THE ELEPHANT ROUND UP. THE EVENT WAS HELD IN SURIN, A PROVINCE SOME 260 MILES NORTH EAST OF BANGKOK LAST SATURDAY (18 NOVEMBER). SURIN IS AN ISOLATED REGION OF ABOUT 70,000 SQUARE MILES.

AN ALTAR WAS PLACED ON THE FIELD ... TRIBESMEN SOUGHT THE BLESSING OF LORD BUDDHA BEFORE THE START OF THE EVENT.

ROUNDING UP THE ELEPHANTS REQUIRES SKILL. TAME ELEPHANTS ARE USED FOR THE CHASE AND ROPES AND BRAIDED ANIMAL SKIN ARE USED AS LOOPS.

ONCE A WILD ELEPHANT IS CAUGHT, THE TRIBESMAN THROWS A LOOP AROUND ITS HIND LEG. THE BEAST IS THEN TIED TO A TREE. IT HAS LITTLE FREEDOM TO MOVE AND IS THUS TAMED BY MEANS OF STARVATION. THEN THE TRAINING BEGINS - IN THE COMPANY OF AN ALREADY TAME AND SKILLED ELEPHANT.

TAME ELEPHANTS ARE STILL USED IN LUMBER INDUSTRY AND FOR TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN ISOLATED VILLAGES AS WELL AS POWER FOR HEAVY LABOUR.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE EVENT WAS A TUG-OF-WAR ... IT WAS A SHOW OF STRENGTH BETWEEN 40 MEN AND AN ELEPHANT. THE TOUGH TUSSLE ENDED WITHIN 15 MINUTES. THE ELEPHANT WAS THE VICTOR.