Story: Tiger temple Program: Foreign Correspondent
Tape 1 @ 629 tiger + Lloyd reveal from behind tree
It’s not everyday of the week you get up close and personal with a man eating Tiger. And it is rarer still to take one for a walk.
Natsot exchange
“I feel like I’ve got a personal stake in this. What does he normally eat? Dog food. Dog food? That’s reassuring.”
Tape 1 @ 910 where Tiger does a pee
I may have the leash -- but my charge is definitely calling the shots.
BUTT TO:
UPSOT Tape 1 @ 1037
HE’S THE FIRST ONE. HE THINKS HE IS BOSS NOW.
HE’S THE BOSS?
HE THINKS HE IS IN CONTROL OF EVERY TIGER.
Meet Abbott Phoosit – he’s part Buddhist monk, part Tarzan Lord of the Jungle, master of his domain: a temple-cum-tiger sanctuary, three hours drive north of Bangkok
UPSOT Tape 1 @ 1900 – 1909
Use pictures of c/up tiger sucking monks’ thumb at 1818
‘HE IS MY FRIEND. MY FRIEND. HE LIKES TO SUCK MY THUMB VERY MUCH.
It’s the ultimate party trick, performed to prove the Abbott’s surprising contention that these tigers have overcome their natural instincts and adopted peaceful Buddhist ways.
INTV GRAB Tape 1 @ 918 - 927
I WAS BORN IN 3RD OF JANUARY 1951
THE YEAR OF THE TIGER?
YES! THE YEAR OF THE TIGER!
Tape 1 @ tba more frolicking
Almost all Thais believe in reincarnation. In this case, the Abbott believes ‘Storm’ and his playmate ‘thunder’ were once monks.
How can he be so sure?
Well it’s simple really. Like Dr Doolittle, he ‘talks’ to the animals.
Tape 1 @ 747 - 757 Natsot break
Tape 4 @ 48.00 shots of monks on road, alms gathering sequence
The Abbott and his followers are known in Thailand as forest monks. They venture into settlements in the early morning for traditional alms round, seeking food and donations. But home is in the hills.
Upsot Tape 5 @ 2100 upsot prayer Upsot prayer
Tape 5 @ 2100 more shots of praying
The monks set up their bush temple five years ago. It was meant to be a sanctuary for peaceful meditation. Instead it’s become an accidental sanctuary for Indo Chinese tigers - an endangered species.
Tape 5 @ 3940 best opening shot of monk on street with tiger cub.
The family that lives together – shops together.
It’s routine for a tiger cub to come along for the ride when the Abbott makes a trip to the food market.
Although that’s not what you’d think from witnessing the fuss this trip caused.
And although they might be obedient Buddhists, it seems the tigers are yet to get a taste for the vegetarian lifestyle.
Chicken is on the menu every day of the week.
Tape 5 @ 4500 chicken being wheeled down road to car, loaded
Tape 5 @ 4658 tiger cub licking the meat
SO YOU'RE PUTTING THE TIGER IN WITH THE FOOD? RISKY? NO HE SCARED OF PLASTIC BAGS.
Tape 6 2 1800 various gvs of ditch area Not so you’d notice.
Back at the sanctuary, the Abbott keeps the star attractions at a distance from the rest of the family just in case they forget their manners.
He knows that life in a cage is cruel, but life outside is crueller still.
The tigers’ forest habitat is dwindling and pachers who hunt and kill the animals for their highly valuable skin and bones prey upon them.
Returning to the wild is out of the question so the Abbott has come up with the next best thing.
“So here we would like to do the island, to dig in the ground and do a moat.
”Dr Somchai is in charge of a project to create a moat around a vast area of the temple ground, creating an “island sanctuary” for the tigers to roam free.
Tape 6 @ 1632 - 1645
WE WOULD LIKE TO SET UP A TIGER RESCUE CENTRE AND RESEARCH CENTRE AND FOR ECO TOURISM
UPSOT QNA TAPE 5 @ 4609 -
Tape 5 @ 2840 monk playing with tigers. .
It’s thought there are fewer than 500 of the species left in Asia. Their survival may come to depend on a helping hand from humans – and a little faith.
Tape 1 @ 629 tiger + Lloyd reveal from behind tree
It’s not everyday of the week you get up close and personal with a man eating Tiger. And it is rarer still to take one for a walk.
Natsot exchange
“I feel like I’ve got a personal stake in this. What does he normally eat? Dog food. Dog food? That’s reassuring.”
Tape 1 @ 910 where Tiger does a pee
I may have the leash -- but my charge is definitely calling the shots.
BUTT TO:
UPSOT Tape 1 @ 1037
HE’S THE FIRST ONE. HE THINKS HE IS BOSS NOW.
HE’S THE BOSS?
HE THINKS HE IS IN CONTROL OF EVERY TIGER.
Meet Abbott Phoosit – he’s part Buddhist monk, part Tarzan Lord of the Jungle, master of his domain: a temple-cum-tiger sanctuary, three hours drive north of Bangkok
UPSOT Tape 1 @ 1900 – 1909
Use pictures of c/up tiger sucking monks’ thumb at 1818
‘HE IS MY FRIEND. MY FRIEND. HE LIKES TO SUCK MY THUMB VERY MUCH.
It’s the ultimate party trick, performed to prove the Abbott’s surprising contention that these tigers have overcome their natural instincts and adopted peaceful Buddhist ways.
INTV GRAB Tape 1 @ 918 - 927
I WAS BORN IN 3RD OF JANUARY 1951
THE YEAR OF THE TIGER?
YES! THE YEAR OF THE TIGER!
Tape 1 @ tba more frolicking
Almost all Thais believe in reincarnation. In this case, the Abbott believes ‘Storm’ and his playmate ‘thunder’ were once monks.
How can he be so sure?
Well it’s simple really. Like Dr Doolittle, he ‘talks’ to the animals.
Tape 1 @ 747 - 757 Natsot break
Tape 4 @ 48.00 shots of monks on road, alms gathering sequence
The Abbott and his followers are known in Thailand as forest monks. They venture into settlements in the early morning for traditional alms round, seeking food and donations. But home is in the hills.
Upsot Tape 5 @ 2100 upsot prayer Upsot prayer
Tape 5 @ 2100 more shots of praying
The monks set up their bush temple five years ago. It was meant to be a sanctuary for peaceful meditation. Instead it’s become an accidental sanctuary for Indo Chinese tigers - an endangered species.
Tape 5 @ 3940 best opening shot of monk on street with tiger cub.
The family that lives together – shops together.
It’s routine for a tiger cub to come along for the ride when the Abbott makes a trip to the food market.
Although that’s not what you’d think from witnessing the fuss this trip caused.
And although they might be obedient Buddhists, it seems the tigers are yet to get a taste for the vegetarian lifestyle.
Chicken is on the menu every day of the week.
Tape 5 @ 4500 chicken being wheeled down road to car, loaded
Tape 5 @ 4658 tiger cub licking the meat
SO YOU'RE PUTTING THE TIGER IN WITH THE FOOD? RISKY? NO HE SCARED OF PLASTIC BAGS.
Tape 6 2 1800 various gvs of ditch area Not so you’d notice.
Back at the sanctuary, the Abbott keeps the star attractions at a distance from the rest of the family just in case they forget their manners.
He knows that life in a cage is cruel, but life outside is crueller still.
The tigers’ forest habitat is dwindling and pachers who hunt and kill the animals for their highly valuable skin and bones prey upon them.
Returning to the wild is out of the question so the Abbott has come up with the next best thing.
“So here we would like to do the island, to dig in the ground and do a moat.
”Dr Somchai is in charge of a project to create a moat around a vast area of the temple ground, creating an “island sanctuary” for the tigers to roam free.
Tape 6 @ 1632 - 1645
WE WOULD LIKE TO SET UP A TIGER RESCUE CENTRE AND RESEARCH CENTRE AND FOR ECO TOURISM
UPSOT QNA TAPE 5 @ 4609 -
Tape 5 @ 2840 monk playing with tigers. .
It’s thought there are fewer than 500 of the species left in Asia. Their survival may come to depend on a helping hand from humans – and a little faith.