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A mysterious microchip is checked by Phuket investigators yesterday

Phuket Elephants Trek Check Sparks Big Microchip Mystery

Wednesday, May 8, 2013
PHUKET: Trekking elephants and microchips are being inspected on Phuket as investigators seek to trace whether the creatures have been poached from national parks elsewhere in Thailand.

A raid yesterday at a camp in Chalong, southern Phuket, led by Bangkok-based senior officer Major General Sriwara Rangsipramluk, produced an unimplanted microchip that had raiders puzzled.

''We can't work out why the microchip is not under the skin of an elephant,'' said the Director of the Phuket Provincial Livestock Office, Vuirasit Putdhiroj.

Implanted microchips usually provide an accurate guide to an elephant's identity and ownership.

More camp raids are expected on Phuket following a series of surprise visits to camps in Phang Nga, to the island's north, where many Phuket tourists are taken on trekking day-trips.

A total of 110 elephants have been checked in Phang Nga with two found to be illegal and investigations continuing.

''On Phuket we have no reason to be worried about the large elephant camps but it's the small camps where elephants are more likely to be poached or maltreated,'' Major General Sriwara said.

DNA matching on Phuket last year revealed two young elephants who had been taken prematurely from their mothers and contracted out to resorts on Phuket as tourist attractions.

The young elephants were reunited with their mothers.

Comments

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"We can't work out why the microchip is not under the skin of an elephant"
I'm missing the info, if there are data on it.
My ideas:
If not: I've seen 2 green plated 'limos', carrying the same number.
In case that: A decade or a bit longer ago, only cellphones, imported by the soul importer to Thailand (who owned AIS, once), did work with Thai cell-phone numbers. Instead of paying 10.000 baht for a outdated 5110, They implanted a chip, taken from a 'import' but cheap nokia cellphone for 1000 Baht, into my up2date eur0pean nokia worked.
Maybe the chip is 'from old for new'?
Or like a blank 'ATM' card copy?
Cause I'm relatively sure, the DNA get tested only in case there is no other (easier 'proof') legitimation.

Posted by Anonymous on May 9, 2013 14:37

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DNA matching on Phuket last year revealed two young elephants who had been taken prematurely from their mothers and contracted out to resorts on Phuket as tourist attractions

For a quick baht there is no bounds no morals no limits.

Posted by slickmelb on May 10, 2013 00:46


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