When we launched the campaign to name Taronga Zoo’s baby elephant in honour of Thai political prisoner Suwicha Thakor we had no real expectation that the first elephant born on Australian soil would be named “Suwicha” (สุวิชา).
Our small hope was that our effort would raise awareness of Suwicha’s plight. Suwicha Thakor’s incarceration is a black mark against Thailand and any claims it makes to be a free or democratic country. His 10-year sentence for lese majeste is an outrage.
We have sadly noticed that compared to the few foreigners who have been locked up in Thailand for similar crimes he, and the other Thais in his predicament, receive scant international attention. This needs to change.
Through the elephant campaign we succeeded in generating some media and blog interest about Suwicha. We don’t know how many people suggested that “Suwicha” was an appropriate name for the elephant but there were plenty of “clicks” from New Mandala to Taronga Zoo.
Today Taronga has announced that instead of “Suwicha” the elephant will be known as “Luuk Chai” (ลูกชาย), meaning “son”. It is a banal choice.
New Mandala wishes the young son a long and happy life. Of course, Suwicha Thakor remains locked up. He too is a luuk chai, and a father of three. More information on his case is available here, here and here. And Political Prisoners in Thailand continues to update its links.
Perhaps, as one reader has suggested, we should turn our attention to the panda.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Ralph Kramden // Jul 27, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Agreed, absolute crap name. No imagination at all. And, the BBC can’t pronounce it.
2 anon // Jul 28, 2009 at 9:23 am
Luuk Chai?!? Weak sauce.
3 Bored of the ringpiece // Jul 28, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Reality check here. Taronga Zoo probably needs to act with some caution if it wishes for its supply of exotic animals from SEA not to dry up. That said, it wouldn’t exactly be a disaster. There are plenty of interesting animals in Australia and New Zealand which would not involve prostituting oneselves to the Burmese Junta and Thai ultra-nationalists.
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