“A mahout from Surin has decided to return to Thailand after he spent about six months to take care of Sak Surin, injured Thai elephant in Sri Lanka. Thongsuk Mali-ngam was sent by Thai embassy in Colombo to help provide care to the elephant, given by the Thai government to Sri Lanka in 2001. The mahout said he had to return for treatment of knee arthritis. It is still unclear when the Thai government will bring the elephant back for proper treatment and rehabilitation in Thailand”.

Muthu Rajas Thai mahout returns back to Thailand.  The two Sri Lankan mahouts of Muthu Raja have been suspended for disciplinary action.

Sources in Thailand confirm that the Thai mahout has left because the Sri Lankan Zoo authority is not allowing him to walk Muthu Raja and give him freedom. 

We are very worried about Muthu Rajas safety now. He is with a new Sri Lankan mahout and Sri Lankan mahouts know only negative reinforcement elephant management (no freedom, shouting, beating and bullhooking).  We are very sure now that the only way to save Muthu Rajas life is to return him back to Thailand and keep him at a chainfree sanctuary with 24x7 veterinary care. 

https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnews/mahout-worried-about-thai-elephant-in-sri-langka-430483

THE STORY OF MUTHU RAJA

His birth;

Muthu Raja was born in Thailand and was named Sak Surin (meaning in Thai/Samskrit "the honour of Surin Province") when he was born.

He was just 10 years old, when he was chosen in honour of Queen Sirikit due to his beauty to be gifted to the people of Sri Lanka.

The fateful decision;

In 2001 he was gifted to the Sri Lankan government by HRM the Queen mother of Thailand, Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara. The Thai Government thought that he will be carrying the sacred tooth relics at the Kandy Esala Perahera.

Sri Lankan Government placed him under the custody of temple Aluthgama Kande Viharaya.

The abuse and suffering;

The temple treated him like a money making machine and employed him in almost all religious and cultural parades known as "Perahera" not just at the Kandy Esala Perahera which is the most important Buddhist Perahera in Sri Lanka. He took part in these peraheras in hobbles (chains with metal spikes) we have photographic evidence of him wearing hobblwith his back legs chained together (technique known as handcuffing in Sri Lankan mahouts) and a chain running from back leg around his spine connected to front leg (technique of chaining known as breaks among Sri Lankan mahouts)

There are complaints that Muthu Raja was used for logging timber and giving rides to tourists too. On fullmoon days he would be made to stand in the hot sun and bless people for money.He was laboured and abused by bullhook and chained 24X7. There are complaints on social media by residents and people organizing peraheras that Muthu Rajas mahouts would be always drunk and they would not give him enough food and water. There are eye witnesses that have posted on social media that mahout would even bullhook Muthu's eyes. And when he sustains wounds & injuries the mahouts would use wounds & injuries to increase his pain and never give any rest or proper veterinary care.Since 2018 he has been limping and allegedly the mahout bullhooked him limping ankle so hard during Kandy Esala Perahera in 2021 that his situation became worse.

His injuries;

He is just 30 years old now but his left front leg is permanently injured due to years of negligence and he has extremely thin foot pads and foot abscesses from staying on concrete 24x7, walking on tarmac and balancing on 3 feet. His feet can lead to a painful early death. He has abscesses and bullhook wounds all over his body. At present his health issues have become chronic. The Kandy Esala Perahera organisors refused to take him in 2022 Kandy Esala Perahera. However his temple Aluthgama Kande Viharaya still make him work at various small Buddhist and Hindu celebrations and peraheras.

Our Effort to rescue him;

Many complaints have been made to Department of Wildlife Conservation of Sri Lanka (DWC). We have written many letters to Ministry of Wildlife and Director Generals of DWC. Not only us even organizations that are supportive of captivity of elephants in Sri Lanka have made complaints to DWC.

The answer the DWC gives is "Although DWC was in charge of formalities in bringing Muthu Raja to Sri Lanka after he was given to the temple by the President of Sri Lanka DWC has not jurisdiction over the elephant" and they never found a solution for Muthu Raja for over a year. Director Operations/Legal Mr Ranjan Marasinghe told us over the phone "DWC has no jurisdiction over imported elephants".

We as Sri Lankan citizens and animal lovers were very dissapointed with Director General Mr Chandana Sooriyabandara and Director Operations/Legal Mr Ranjan Marasinghe of how they simply refused to help this elephant without trying to find a solution and a way to help him.

Finally when we realised Sri Lankan authorities would not help Muthu we send letters through DHL to Mr , Silpa Archa , Minister of Environment of Thailand and Mr Apichard Sirisoontorn, Chairman of Land Natural Resources and Environment of Thai Parliament. And we wrote letters to His Excellency Mr Poj Harnpol the Ambassador of Royal Thai Embassy in Colombo and called the embassy via telephone.

The progress;

In July 2022 we were contacted by the embassy and in August 2022 our team was invited to the Royal Thai Embassy of Colombo where we were able to present the plight of Muthu Raja to Ambassador Poj Harnpol himself.

On 26th of September a delegation of 5 veterinarians from Thailand were sent to Sri Lanka to assess Muthu Rajas condition. Our team was invited to present our case and recommendations for Muthu Raja. The Thai Veterinary Delegation checked on Muthu Raja aswell as other 2 Thai elephants that were gifted by Thailand to Sri Lanka.

The Thai Delegation had recommended that Muthu Raja should be immediately rested and taken to Ridiyagama Safari Park and to be taken to Thailand for further treatment.

The Royal Thai Embassy in Colombo has made their official request to Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mr Ali Sabry to make arrangements for Muthu Rajas retirement.

16th November 2022

After one and a half years of campaigning, and with the help of the Royal Thai government, Muthu Raja was removed from the cruelty of Aluthgama Kande Viharaya temple on 9th November, and has now been retired to Dehiwala Zoo.