Sunday, August 5, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Chang Thai National Thai Elephant Day, March 13 2002
Chang Thai National Thai Elephant Day, March 13 2002
It is not unexpected that most Thai people hold the Elephant in such high esteem and reverence. When one takes a map and looks
at the geographic boundaries of present day Thailand, it takes
little imagination to realize that the country is shaped like an
elephant's head and trunk. The head rests here in the North, the
ears flare back to Esarn in the East and the trunk drapes down to
Haad Yai in the deep South. Thailand is to the elephant as the
elephant is to Thailand connected to each other traditionally,
emotionally, symbolically, regally and Royally. To honor this
most gentle, yet powerful, of animals the National Thai Elephant
Day is being hosted at the Maesa Elephant Camp (10kms along the
Mae RimSamoeng Road) on 13th March. Admission to the Camp (from 12 noon
onwards) is FREE so this will be a day for Thais, and visitors to
meet and fall in love (again!) with that most noble of creatures
the Elephant.Traditionally and historically, the elephant has had a long association with Thailand. It's strength, power, ponderous dignity and majesty has ensured it a special place in the hearts of Thai Kings for many centuries. Even today, H.M. King Bhumibol has a stable of Royal Elephants. A white Elephant is especially sacred and auspicious. When one is found, it immediately becomes the property of the reigning Monarch. Long ago, when Thai Kings waged war against invading enemies, it was the elephant which provided the "heavy" war equipment. Elephants were the battlewagons and tanks of the day from which, aloft the elephants neck, the King (or Noble) could see and engage the enemy.
In
more recent times during the last century, elephants were
engaged in the extraction of heavy teaklogs from the forests.
These were working elephants and they were sent into forest areas
where machines would cause too much devastation.For all of its ponderous size, and elephant is very surefooted and surprisingly dainty and swift of step. A mature, working elephant can readily lift 700kgs weight or haul a towton log for one kilometer without a break. To have an elephant work in a disciplined fashion requires years of training. This begins when a baby elephant is 3 years old and sent to school (a visit to the Young Elephant Training Centre at Haang Chatt District, experience). The young elephant is introduced to his, or her, "bosses" an experienced mahout and his apprentice. Both will be bonded with the elephant for as long as life permits and will be totally responsible for the elephant's training, future work schedule and career. Not only will they train and work with their charge, they will also play with their elephant because elephants love a bit of fun and can be quite mischievous.
Nowadays, with the Thai timber industry in decline, the friendly elephant is seeing more and more of the millions of visitors who visit Thailand each year. They have adjusted well to being the centre of tourist admiration they are happy to take the visitor for a ride a top that massive back or further afield on a trekking expedition. The elephant is happy to entertain by demonstrating how it used to work by hauling and stacking logs Elephants are "team" player in such operation. It is also a team player when a friendly game of soccer is arranged just see how nimble footed they can be! And, just to show how unabashed they are in public, the elephant is happy to entertain by taking a bath in the nude! Like any creature which gives its loyalty and devotion to humankind, the elephant loves affection and attention and gives the same in return to those who care for it.
On the downside, sometimes visitors will see unscrupulous humans exploiting elephants by making them beg for money in the streets of Chiangmai. Please do not innocently support such exploitation. It is not only against the laws of nature, it is against the laws of Thailand! Anyone seeing this exploitation should protest, in writing, to the Press, the Provincial Governor, the City Lord Mayor and, indeed, Thailand's Prime Minister Khun Taksin. These gentlemen have no wish to see elephants exploited by being forced to beg for money but catching the human culprits is not always easy.
Chaang Thai the National Elephant Day on 13th March at Maesa Elephant Camp is to honor, support and pay respect to this wonderful animal which is so much a part of Thailand's heritage and culture. At the Maesa Camp, there will be a kantoke feast for the elephants, traditional blessing ceremonies and Chiangmai University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine will be presenting an exhibition on elephants and a display of those endearing baby elephants.
The Thai Elephant Warrior, Royal Pet. Workmate, Transporter and Entertainer a Friend worthy of the highest regard and respect. Do remember them on March 13 and try to get along to the Maesa Elephant Camp.
http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/elephants_national_day.html
Fabrics a la Elephant
LATELY, in Chiang Mai elephants have been showing us humans how smart they are. They can play football. They can play musical instruments. They can massage. They can paint original canvases of flowers in Piccaso style of vibrant colors or simple meaningful lines in the Japanese style.
In 2003, paintings by Thai elephants were first exhibited at the Kawamura Memorial Museum of Arts in Japan. The exhibition gained overwhelming success and so creative arts by Thai elephants were successfully promoted at international levels.
In the same year, an exhibition entitled ‘First Elephant Arts Exhibition' was on display in Chiang Mai. In February 2005, a group of eight elephants obtained recognition from the Guinness Records for their creation of a painting entitled, ‘Cold Wind, Swirling Mist and Charming Lanna 1'. The elephant group's painting is documented in the Guinness Book of World Records 2006 and the record book is now available for purchase.
Thai elephant arts have branded positive recognition for Thailand thereby triggering an increase in the number of tourists visiting Chiang Mai elephant camps. Since then, elephant arts have expanded into wider ranges and developed into other artistic forms. Currently, the largest number of artistically skilled elephants reside in Thailand. The survey shows that the Elephant Conservation Center, Lampang province is home to 19 elephant artists while both Mae Saa and Mae Ta Maan Elephant Camps have 17 and 7 resident elephant artists, respectively. Chiang Dao and Mae Taeng Elephant Camp in Chiang Mai and other camps in Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Sorn are also homes to elephant artists. In total, Thailand probably has up to 100 elephant artists and the country can be recognized as home to the largest group of elephant artists.
And now in 2007??? What talent are the elephant artists showing the world? They are designing fabric by painting wonderful patterns on silk and cotton. A team elephant artists have exhibited exceptional patience and thoughtfulness creating the designs on the fabrics.
Seven elephant artists at the Maetaman Elephant Camp known as Haad, Hong, Libby, Somjai, Somboon, Bumbim and Jab and their arts trainer, Mr. Tossapol Petchrattanakool, in cooperation with Silah Lanna Club have created painting on textiles. The arts project was initiated in early 2007. Their creation has built a new recognition for elephant arts at an international level. Paintings, which engage innovative materials, equipment and techniques, have attracted The Asian Elephant Art and Conservation Project (AEACP), USA. AEACP introduced the paintings to the world's top designers to use in tailoring garments and present the creations in the New York Fashion Week 2008 - Spring Collection in February 2008 in New York, USA. Seven elephant artists have been practicing on textiles brought in from New York after which the finished painted fabrics will be sent back to New York.
After a short practice period, elephant arts were tailored into clothes and other fashionable items such as scarves, bags, and pillows. Later Thai designers assessed the quality of Thai elephant arts for a line of window curtains. Apart from being transformed into attractive products, the emerging elephant arts are highlighted in practical daily life-style usage.
One of the custom garment designers is Mr. Lawrence Goldberg, a UK citizen who makes Chiang Mai his summer home. Mr. G's aim is to bring the structure of the elephant into the form of the dress.
Elephant arts deserve appreciation, as the art reflects the effort of these gigantic mammals that, in addition to being a long symbolic animal of Thailand, are on the edge of extinction. Therefore, their work in arts contributes a new definition and a key to its existence.
The creative designed textiles was highlighted at the North Thailand Tourism Road Show in the Siam Paragon Bangkok Center in the first weekend of September 2007. For more information about all types of elephant arts, contact Ms Anchalee Kalmapijit, Special Consultant, Maetaman Elephant Camp. Tel. 053- 297060.
Do not let elephants just fade away and remain only in our memory.
What I Didn't Know About Elephants?
Before coming to Thailand all I knew of elephants were what I had seen of them in zoos, giant slow moving animals, magnificent to look at. They stood around majestically, mostly swaying from side to side, sometimes lifting their trunks, and, every now and then, if you were fortunate enough to be there at the right time, they might push a log they were given to play with, with their trunks. Only a few lucky people ever got to experience the excitement of being up close to an elephant and actually touching one. Until my visit to an elephant camp here in Thailand, I was one of those many Americans who had only seen an elephant from afar. After I had the privilege of visiting an elephant camp, and actually getting to ride, feed, and watch them play soccer, did I realize they have personality plus!!!! Ever since then, I have been accused of having Elephantitus. (Elephant on the brain)
Here in Chiangmai and neigboring provinces, we are so fortunate to have access to several elephant camps, among them being the National Elephant Institute.
The National Elephant Institute (NEI) for elephant training is an institute in an immense park in Haang Chaat district of Lampang province that has elephant shows, a restaurant, overnight cottages, special tours such as "Mahout Training course", making paper from elephant "leftovers," and a hospital for severely injured elephants. In 1991 over 2,500 to 4,500 elephants were reported in Thailand to be in the wild, and over 4,500 in captivity. The National Elephant Institute is just one of the elephant centers in Thailand that are working to preserve the number of these magnificent animals. Khun Plai, a test tube elephant, the first of her kind, will be celebrating her first birthday this year. Happy Birthday Khun Plai
This project is the first in the world to succeed in producing frozen semen using biological technology to freeze elephant semen for between 20 and 30 years for artificial insemination purposes. Currently, there is a frozen bank of "good-breed" semen, which can lose up to 30 percent of its strength if kept for too long.
The NEI cares for over 100 elephants, and feeding is an enormous task along with handling the daily cost. The Thai people are fantastic at taking things you and I would throw away (elephant dung) and making beautiful things from It. They make a great paper that can be used to wrap gifts, or used as decorative pages in scrapbooking. This paper looks a lot like mulberry paper and the sales help to run the institute.
African and Asian elephants are very intelligent animals. However, because the Asian elephant has two frontal lobes in their brains, the extra lobe gives them more intelligence than their African cousin, and the ability to be more easily trained. These adorable animals can learn as many as 60 commands. Therefore, Asian elephant projects an image of power, intelligence and gentleness. No wonder Siam chose the Asian elephant as their national symbol.
We often call the Elephant the gentle giant, but we should be ever mindful that Elephants are wild animals, and can exhibit behavior you should be aware of when around them, such as:
Elephants have small eyes and are near sighted, and are alert to sounds and smell, never use a flash camera around an elephant, the flash can startle them and they charge in that direction.
During the mating season be very careful around an elephant. The glands behind an elephant's ears secrete oil that has a pungent aroma which attracts mates. The oil flows down the cheeks and into their mouths. When the male elephant tastes this oil his animal instinct takes over, and has been known to rape an unwilling female elephant!
There is such a thing as a "Mad" elephant. They are born that way, and if you should ever encounter one, you can tell by his black toe nails and evil eyes! You will notice him staring at the earth without blinking, and moving his eyes from one side to the other. These "Mad" elephants will charge at anything within 20 meters, and ignore things farther away. If you find yourself too close, watch him silently, move backwards slowly, and look for a big tree for protection.
You should also watch out for wounded elephants and pregnant elephants ready to give birth. They will smash anything in their path. The pregnant elephants look for a "midwife" to protect them and their calf. Be mindful of the fact that both can be very dangerous as they protect the baby elephant.
I would be remiss in my duty as a writer writing about elephants if I did not mention the cherished "White Elephant." White elephants are always given to the King. The main qualifications for being the envied white elephant are: he must have seven colors on his body: white, yellow, green, red, black, purple ad steel grey; white eyes and white toe nails, (20 in all, two more than the regular elephant); have white or light grey skin, be fragrant-smelling, and not snore nosily.
The white elephants are part of many legends, one of the more famous surrounds Doi Suthep.
"A monk from Sri Langka named Sumanathera from Sukhothai dreamed god told him to go to Paang Ja, a ruined city, and look for a relic. Sumanathera went to Paang Ja and is said to have found a bone, which was claimed was Buddha's shoulder bone. This relic displayed magical powers; it glowed, it was able to vanish, it could move itself and replicate itself. Sumanathera took the relic to King Dharmmaraja who ruled the Sukhothai. The relic did not perform for King Dharmmaraja, and he turned the monk away.
However, King Gue Na of the Lanna Kingdom heard of the relic and offered the monk to bring it to him instead. In 1368 with Dharmmaraja's permission, Sumanathera took the relic to what is now Lamphun, in northern Thailand. The relic apparently split in two, one piece was the same size; the other was smaller than the original. The smaller piece of the relic was enshrined at a temple in Suandawg. The other piece was placed by the King on the back of a white elephant which was released in the jungle. The elephant is said to have climbed up Doi Suthep, at the time called Doi Aoy Chang (Sugar Elephant Mountain), trumpeted three times before dying at the site. It was interpreted as a sign and King Gue Na ordered the construction of a temple at the site."
I fell in love with elephants during my first trip to Thailand. Everywhere I look, Thai artisans portray elephants in their many forms of art here in Thailand, elephants playing, laughing, spraying water, loving as warriors, Thai religious symbols, and even Thai cartoons. Enjoy these beautiful animals at the Lampang's National Elephant Institute. Watch them perform with balls, harmonicas, and paint brushes. It is a sight that gives the elephants a human trait, and helps us bond to them.
As mentioned earlier the healthy elephants bring in about twenty million Baht per year through the Mahout Training School, homestay and souvenir sales. Hundreds of visitors sign up for the Mahout training 3-day training course. Hopeful mahouts of all nationalities and ages lean how to bathe the elephant, train in Karen language commands, and wander with the elephant in the forest while it feeds on about 250 kilograms of forage. On the third day of the training course, the mahout can appear in the live performance with the elephant.
Some visitors are a bit shaky about being too close to the elephants so they prefer to stay in the NEI homestay lodge at Baht 500 per night. They can hike in the national park or ride about on a bicycle.
Other ways the elephants earn money is by creating beautiful paintings that visitors eagerly buy for around Baht 2,000 each. The painting will have the name of the elephant, age of the elephant and the date of painting.
Please take note that March 13th is National Elephant Day (Wan Chaang Thai). Celebrate National Elephant Day by taking a trip to the National Elephant Institute in Lampang and bond with the elephants yourself. Take a few friends with you, and enjoy! To get there: Drive about 70 kilometers south of Chiangmai towards Lampang is the Thai Elephant Conservation Center located in Baan Tung Kwien (Thoong Gwian), Haang Chaat District. Here there are two daily morning shows start at 09.30, and 11.30 with an extra show on Saturday & Sunday 13.30. The famous elephant hospital is also located here.
THE NATIONAL ELEPHANT INSTITUTE (Head Office), 26 Tha Ma-O, T. Wiangnua, A. Muang, Lampang 52000. Tel : 054-228108, Fax : 054-321496; ELEPHANT TRAINING CENTER Haang Chaat, Lampang, Tel : 054-247871-6, Fax : 054-247872, 247876.
http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com
Young Elephant Training Center
Young Elephant Training Center
HOW MANY TIMES is the word "trunk" used in our English language -- main trunk line, baggage trunk, swimming trunks, telephone trunk call - are but some. There is even the song "Nellie the Elephant Packed her Trunk and said Good-bye to the Circus".
This article is not so much about Nellie the Elephant, or a
Circus, but about elephants in general and how they are trained
so that they are integrated into everyday part of Thai life.Elephants -- sometime are regarded purely as "beasts of burden" although this is neither strictly correct nor very kind. True, they can carry or haul heavy loads but they also can be warriors, royal pets, trekking transporter and entertainers. It all depends upon their training. So, if you love elephants (and doesn't just about everyone?) and would like to see something of their "school", then the Young Elephant Training Center, near Lampang, is a must visit.
At the Young Elephant Training Center, when an elephant is born, he (or she) remains with the mother for the first three years of life. By the way, the gestation period for an elephant is 21-23 months -- our lady readers will sympathize! Then, in July of the year of the youngster's third birthday, it's off to school. Just like us human folk, Mom Elephant may not want her baby to leave, and the little one may be reluctant to attend school. But, for everyone's benefit, it has to be done. Mom must return to her own work routine and "baby" must be educated for his future life career.
The elephant school semester runs from June until February, the following year, and the young pupil will attend five days per week. Each school day morning will see the trainees being rounded up from the forest where they have spent the night. Lead by their Trainer "Mahouts" they are brought to the river or pond and, upon the learned order "lie", will drop to a comfortable position for their grooming. The Mahout will energetically scrub his charge free of any dust and debris from the forest (the elephant will obligingly spray water from his trunk) until the "toilette" is complete and then, well refreshed and breakfasted, our pupil is ready for lessons.
Each elephant is trained in ten basic subjects for their future working career (which will last for about 40 years) and to respond to the commands from their mahout. Kneel, push, pull, move left, move right -and so it goes on. The mahout is an integral part of the elephant's training, and future career, because he will remain with his charge until the elephant reaches "pension" age and is retired back to the forest. Initially, there are two mahouts with each elephant; one will be an apprentice (also learning!) and the other will be a journeyman mahout who becomes a lifelong work-partner and friend to the elephant. As can be imagined, a special empathy develops between elephant and mahout but it is a slow, gentle and patient process. Many hours (sometimes days) of gentle persuasion can be spent before the elephant even permits its mahout to sit astride its neck.
School holidays, when the young elephants go back to the forest for relaxation, interspace the years of steady training. Until, after nine years, our pupil is no longer a "baby" and is ready for graduation as a fully trained, working elephant.
After leaving the Young Elephant Training Center, the elephants are sent to their employment in different parts of Thailand. Hauling and extracting logs, from areas where machines cannot access, is an important aspect of an elephant's working career, however, it is not the only one. You may see elephants at work pulling farm equipment or drawing a four-wheeled cart in a rural town. A mature, working elephant can comfortably lift 700 kilograms weight or haul two tons of timber for one kilometer without a break. Naturally all this energy output requires a lot of food input so our former-pupil will now be demolishing an average of 200 kilograms of food per day and sucking up 120 liters of water with which to wash it down. It's a lot to have on one's shopping list!
The Elephant -Noble Creature -- intelligent, strong, sure footed, dexterous, hardworking and patient -beloved by so many of us humans around the world. Even Canada's ex-Premier, Pierre Trade, authored a book, "There's an Elephant in My Bed" -'though I think he was referring to his gigantic, neighboring nation rather than anything else!
There are several Working Elephant Camps around Chiangmai but there is only one Young Elephant Training Center, in Haang Chaat district, close to Lampang city where you can see them as young pupils learning about life and their future career. Go visit them -- it's an endearing and rewarding experience which you're sure to enjoy.
To get there: Drive about 70 kilometers south of Chiang Mai towards Lampang is the Thai Elephant Conservation Center located in Baan Tung Kwien (Thoong Gwian), Hang Chat District. Here there are two daily morning shows start at 09.30, and 11.30 with an extra show on Saturday & Sunday 13.30. The famous elephant hospital is also located here. Tel. (054) 229042.
http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/elephant_training.html
Even Elephants Fall in Love
Even Elephants Fall in Love
The birth of a baby elephant is quite a remarkable event at the best of times, but when the father is 89 years of age and the mother nothing more than a girlish 8 year old, the occasion becomes even more special. The elephant mirrors the life patterns of a human more closely than any other living thing. Its life span is approximately 80 years and its growth rate similar to that of humans. An eight year old elephant is naughty, mischievous and often uncontrollable but is certainly not promiscuous, not reaching puberty until approximately 12 years of age, while an 89 year old male has lost his teeth, is frail and weak and has lost his sexual ability although it seems, like humans, he still retains the desires. Plai Aek has indeed lost his teeth and can no longer chew his natural food of grass and shrubs nor even enjoy a nibble at his favorite tidbit of sugar cane, instead the zoo staff have to feed him milled, unpolished rice mixed with calcium, cod liver oil, coconut and banana, but regarding his sexual ability, READ ON.
The amazing love story of Plai Aek began way back in 1991. Plai Aek lived happily with his wife, Noy, in Chiangmai Zoo but unfortunately, despite a long relationship and happy marriage, they had remained childless. In the summer of 1991, a 5 month old orphan elephant was brought to the zoo and adopted by the loving couple. Sadly, in 1996, Noy passed away at the grand old age of 87, leaving Plai Aek deeply saddened. However, he still had Paang Mai, his adopted daughter to keep him company.
On November 19, 1998, Paang Mai gave birth to Chai Yo and as the gestation period for elephants is between 21 and 23 months it does not take a genius to work out that Paang Mai was just a 6 year old girl when she became pregnant. This truly remarkable event appears to have established a number of records. At 89, Plai Aek is thought to be the oldest elephant father in the world while Paang Mai is considered the youngest mother in the elephant kingdom. A third record is also claimed in that Chai Yo is the first baby elephant to be born in a Thai zoo.
If you would like to see this amazing old man, his lovely young wife and their remarkable baby, pay a visit to Chiangmai Zoo and enjoy a day out with nature in wonderful, natural surroundings. The location of the Chiangmai Zoo is on Huay Kaew Road as indicated on the maps within this issue.
http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/elephants_in_love.html
Here is the Story of Pung Kammee.
Here is the Story of Pung Kammee.
by Soraida Salwala, DirectorFriends of the Asian Elephant
e-mail: fae@loxinfo.co.th.
| Name : | Pung Kammee (Pung means female elephant , Plai is male) |
| Age : | 54 |
| Former Owner : | Mr. Putt Kaewtiwong |
| Present Owner : | Friends of the Asian Elephant (FAE) |
Pung Kammee came to our Elephant Hospital on the 28th of April 1997. I met her one month after her arrival. I learned from the previous report that she could not survive, having been abused for so long as a working elephant in the forest and with the prognosis of having been treated with amphetamines. Her condition deteriorated and she finally collapsed. We tried to retrieve her from the coma. It took 6 months for her to revive. The massive wounds on both her shoulders and all over her body were a sad sight. I could not have imagined how a person was that cruel to her. We treated the wounds and gave her vitamins, Anti-parasitics, Catosal, Glucose etc.
In October 1997 Kammee was eating better and gained more weight. I went to visit her and she cried, wept with big drops of tears from both eyes when I talked to her. I asked her keeper what happened. He told me that the owner of Kammee came yesterday and mentioned that since she was gaining back her health he wanted to sell her. I touched her checks saying, " Kammee, my dear! No one can hurt you any more. You will stay right here with me and your friends. Don't cry ".
I was not there to witness this, I could not believe it. Kammee wept even more. I calmed her and wiped away the tears. Poor thing ! She knows what is going on. I fought with the owner through the vet since the owner did not come when I was at the place. (I go there every month or sometimes twice,depending on what is happening).
Finally on the 22nd of January this year he agreed to sell Kammee to FAE for Bht 80,000.00 Today Pung Kammee is still very nervous. She is scared of noise and strangers. She can never go back to work again. ( That owner wanted to sell her to a logger) I would have fought to the death if the man had sold her to others. I met her a few days ago, although she is still nervous and there are tears on her face when she sees me, I know they are tears of joy. She loves me. That's all I know.
Thank you for helping us fight for the elephants, please contact FAE on where to send contributions. Mr. Teerawat Chanabhai, Fundraising Executive ( Special Events )
http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/elephants_pungkammee.html
Thailand's Talented Elephants
Thailand's Talented Elephants
The number of elephants in Thailand today is limited to about 2,600. Most of these are at various elephant camps around the country where they learn to work in the forests and mountains and to entertain the hundreds of thousands of people who go to see them each year, and where they live, play and reproduce in a setting that is as close to the wild as possible.
Here we present some of the many traditional roles the elephant has played in Thailand since the days of old Siam. The elephant is acknowledged as having many wide attributes, and perhaps the most obvious is talent. Talent for a stately presence, for delicate foot movement and agility, for intelligence on the field of sport, and at the same time a particular gentleness that makes the elephant not only a highly respected creature of the land but also one that is appreciated and loved.
The White Elephant has always been an important symbol of royal power in Thailand. It originated in ancient India, where the multi headed elephant of the Vedic god was white and where, in one of the Buddhist Jataka Tales, Vessantara (Buddha) gave a white state elephant to a drought-stricken people because it was believed to have the power to bring rain. In Southeast Asian kingdoms, the white elephant has traditionally represented divine royal power. The number of white elephants held by a king largely determined his power in the eyes of regional adversaries, and the white elephant was the featured emblem of the national flag of Siam until the name of the country was changed to Thailand.
The role of elephants in warfare was always of paramount importance in Siam and the older kingdoms of Southeast Asia. They were the main form of transport
to and from the battlefield, and they constituted the main force
of an army. Serving the same purpose as a horse cavalry in the
west, the number of manned elephants for warfare often determined
the ultimate winner of the war. This feature of War Elephants
was most renowned in the 300-year-war between Burma and Thailand
which resulted in Burma's sacking of Ayutthaya in 1767. Today,
elephant war tactics are recreated at a number of Thailand's
elephant training centers. Called the "Kraal Paniad", staged battles on elephant-back are an astounding display of elephants' innate talent and ability to learn. Elephant Racing is one of many sports the elephants engage in here in Thailand. Races were actually part of the elephant war training in old Siam, where the elephants were lined up and on command charged. Today, elephants are taught the delicate steps and maneuvers of such tactics in order to recreate the battle scenes of the " Kraal Paniad". These races and accompanying tactics require the elephant to learn and respond to more than 60 separate commands. On the signal to take off, the elephants begin a stampede, and this quickly turns into a rhythmic, flowing ballet on the dust. The elephants are fast and as they gather momentum the race becomes an elegant performance of step, turn and curve.
Elephants have a special talent for sports. They have their own games in the privacy
of the forest and are often very competitive, but they play
sports they are taught too. One of these is a competitive race on
an obstacle course, where each elephant is required to pick up various items
along the way, hold these with his trunk, and return them to the
finish line . In one of Thailand's elephant training centers,
the objects are Coke bottles . Another sport the elephants are
taught to play is elephant football. In this
game the elephants toss around a rather large ball,using their
trunks and competing to see who can score the highest. These are fun
sports for the elephant and require a little more thought than
their traditional water games of spraying themselves and others. 
The Elephant Caravan
is a very special trained function of the elephant in Thailand. A
long line of elephants with their packs and their passengers can
travel over any terrain, however steep and treacherous. This was
the most efficient form of land transport in
Thailand until the arrival of the railway and the automobile, and in the
jungle and mountain areas today is still the most desirable and
the safest way to go. Elephants in a caravan have broad wooden seats
strapped onto their backs and tied with heavy rope. Passengers
and goods sit on these seats while the mahout, or trainer, rests
on the elephant's neck and guides him a long. An elephant caravan
can consist of any number of elephants, and they all stay
together because they like the company of their own kind.
Tug-o'-War
is one of the elephants' favorite games played with another
species, man. Apparently very fond of competition, and all the
more so when pitted against their trainers, elephants are extremely stubborn when it comes to push and pull.
In Tug-'o-War, they demonstrate their true physical power in a
way that leaves no one in doubt. It takes more than 70 men to
bring one elephant to a draw in a Tug-o'-War contest. Some of
Thailand's training centers stage the same competition with men
on horseback, and in this case one elephant requires six or seven
competitors to give him a real battle.
A Trek
is something most of us think of as a walk or a hike on foot,
and while this is true many of northern Thailand's treks include
at least part of the journey by elephant. This
is similar to the caravan, and trekkers always find the ride on those
wooden seats a bit more physically demanding than they thought
possible. But the experience is one of a kind. The elephants
travel dense jungle area on a trek. They climb steep hills of mud
and earth, traverse ledges between tree lines and hillside
drops, and all the while sway back and forth in their efforts to
maintain balance. Seldom will an elephant become afraid in terrain like this. What will scare him is a car, a truck, or a helicopter overhead, but not the jungle. All you have to do is hold on to your seat. It's fun.
Elephants, like people, place a high value on friendship.
In any elephant group the elephants tend to pair up and stay
very close together with their friends. They have their likes and dislikes, of course, but in a caravan or on a trek for example, the mahouts have to take special care in lining up
the elephants before departure. They are placed one behind the
other so that friends are together. If an elephant is placed
apart from his friend, he will likely refuse to budge and the
caravan will not move. Elephant friendship becomes most obvious when the female is about ready to give birth.
She searches out her friend and solicits help in delivery. This
the friend does willingly, and even helps separate the placenta
from the newborn baby.
Dance
is a rare talent but onto the elephants sees to have a certain
knack for. They're intelligent, nimble and have a natural sway to
their walk, but most of all they love music. In Thailand, elephants are trained to perform dance routines to various numbers in the rock, jazz and folk
categories. Their trainers line them up and when the music
begins they receive the command to start. They sway and prance to
the rhythm, trunks swinging, feet keeping time with the beat,
and heads swaying to and fro. When the music changes, they're
steps change with it, perhaps from a fast tempo to a slow, melancholy
waltz. The elephant's preference for music and talent for dance
should not surprise us; music is how the great circuses of the world train their elephants to perform.
Logging
is the vocation of the majority of Thailand's elephants today.
This is the trade they're taught at the country's various
elephant camps and it's a trade they like. It's a useful economic contribution in the many forested areas of the country where elephants have proven to be much more efficient than tractors and cables. Elephants are trained for 20 years before they're ready to work as full, independent and experienced loggers. At the age of 20 they begin their 35-year career of work, and at 55 or 60 they retire.
During the working day, they have their regular work hours,
their lunch hour, and their rest periods. The ease with which an
elephant can pick up a log and move it almost anywhere
demonstrates how powerful this creature is. You can view this and
the many other talents of the elephant at any of Thailand's
elephant training centers.http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/elephants.html
Thailand's Extraordinary Elephants
Thailand's Extraordinary Elephants
THE ELEPHANT has been a cultural icon of Thailand since ancient days. Inhabiting the lush mountain forests long before the rise of the first civilizations in the land that is now modern-day Thailand, these intelligent pachyderms (as zoologists insist on calling them) were found apt to domestication by man. Their great size and enormous strength were harnessed in many ways, and they became man's ally in labour and warfare. It is doubtful if the abundant teak trees of the northern woodlands could have been exploited so fully without these leviathans to haul the trunks (pardon the pun) to the rivers that were the highways of old. Elephants played their part too in the numerous battles fought between the armies of Thailand and Burma.Towering over the field of combat, fully panoplied and girded for war, they must have been an awesome sight. But the elephant came to mean much more to the Thai people than a mere beast of burden. It has become a symbol of fortune, and the superstitious will pay to pass beneath the animal's body and receive a share of the luck that it carries. White elephants, through their very scarcity, adopted an importance of their own, and became the rightful property of the reigning monarch.
This led to the super imposition of a white elephant on the red field of the national flag of Siam, as Thailand was once known. Early Siamese coins featured an engraved elephant, and their images can be found in abundance in the compounds of many of the older temples.
The Asian elephant, the species found in Thailand, is renowned for its intelligence and is known to actively think about its actions, rather than merely memorise instructions. The creature also has a fine memory and the expression "An elephant never forgets" entered the English language long ago. The term "White elephant", meaning something given that is not wanted, entered western speech many years back, and it is reputed that this originated in old Siam. It was the custom of the monarch to bestow the highest praise by giving a royal white elephant to a courtier as a mark of especial favour, together with a tithe of land to support the animal's needs of grazing and forage. The same gift could also be given by these shrewd rulers to show displeasure, as no land would be provided, and the gift that could not be refused had to be fed at the offender's expense.
Nowadays the elephant is more fully occupied entertaining the multitude of tourists who visit Thailand, but its magnificent image lives on, advertising many modern events or attracting visitors to the numerous shops and factories that cater to their demands. Welcome to Chiangmai and Chiangrai sent their roving reporter to interview some of these descendents of the mighty elephants of old.
Trust me to pose for an artist from the anti-tusk lobby.
Say what you like, I saw this log first.
Yeah, the colour's great but have you got the shirt in XXL?
Call me paranoid, but what will folk say if they see me wearing a hat like this?
No tail-pulling! I want you to separate and come out fighting clean.
This is the last time we get digitized for a Spielberg movie.
http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/elephants_extraordinary.html
Elephants at Work
Elephants at Work
THINK ABOUT THAILAND and animals at the same time and thoughts will probably turn to elephants. Well-trained elephants with brave and daring mahouts were crucial to the felling of teak forests around Chiangmai and in the North in the past. Visitors to Chiangmai can watch logging elephants at work at the elephant camp in the nearby Mae Taman's Elephant Conservation Camp, or more adventuresome visitors can visit the Center for Training Baby Elephants near the city of Lampang. Elephant riding has also become a popular and common feature of Hilltribe trekking throughout the North.The Asian elephant can reach a height of over three meters at the shoulder and is remarkable for its intelligence and longevity. Scientists rate an elephant's intelligence on a par with that of whales and dolphins, and they have a life span roughly equal to that of a human being. A Thai working elephant is considered to come into its prime at age twenty and is expected to have a further working life of approximately thirty five years, with retirement at sixty.
A man who wishes to be a mahout must master a number of skills involved with his elephant's work, such as knowledge of a proper diet, complex knot tying, the fabrication of various kinds of tack for his elephant, and the like. His primary task, however, it to learn to understand and manage his animal.
In the past, to become a mahout was like acquiring mastery of artisan skills, through a long apprenticeship. A would be mahout would join a logging team, consisting of approximately five to six elephants and fifteen men, in the teak forests. An apprentice who showed skill in working with the animals might be promoted to foot mahout, but several more years of learning and absorbing knowledge from the senior mahouts was needed before the apprentice mahout graduated to being a neck mahout. The rough logging camps were ideal learning environments as the range of possible activities was limited to conversation and work. The apprentice mahout could absorb the wealth of technical details which were necessary knowledge for handling the elephant and working in the forest through conversations with the senior mahouts and watching them in action during the three to five months of uninterrupted work in the forest.
The forest apprenticeship system produced mahouts who were skilled workers and controllers of their animals, but that is a thing of the past. Once there were several small elephant training centers in North Thailand, but in 1969 they were shut down and consolidated at the Center for Training Baby Elephants, located on a fifteen rai plot of land south of the city of Lampang. The center was intended to nurture baby elephants an successfully wean them so their mothers could be returned to work, protect them and provide them with veterinary care, as well as to train mahouts.
A baby elephant born at the center nurses at first and is gradually weaned to an elephant's natural diet. At age three it is corralled for a period of seven days with other babies to wean it from dependence on it's mother. It is then introduced to its two mahouts and all three begin an arduous seven year training period.
Mahouts control elephants by three methods; commands given by voice, those given using an elephant prod, a stick ending in a blunt hook, and by applying pressure with the feet and legs. The prod might be to tap parts of the animal's body to indicate the angle of work, the desired direction to move indicated with the feet, and the action begun with a voice command.
When training begins the foot mahout accustoms the animal to the various tack used in working and applies permanent leg chains which can be used to hobble it. The first order of training is to teach the elephant to lift either of its front legs so the mahout can step up to mount it, and to lower its head to facilitate mounting. This action is taught by prodding the animal's legs with sharp sticks.
The next skill taught is for the elephant to pick up objects with its trunk and give them to the mounted neck mahout. The animal is allowed to eat several pieces of sugar cane and then a piece with a cord attached is thrown down. When the elephant moves to eat it, the mahout jerks the cord, elevating the animal's trunk over the forehead. The action is repeated until the elephant is habituated to offer objects picked up with its trunk to the mahout before consuming them.
The next step in training is to accustom the animal to commands given with pressure from the feet or legs, used to guide it. Mahouts must shove or tug on the animals to get them to get them go in the proper direction in the beginning. But they eventually learn which way to go from pressure applied in the sensitive area behind their ears. Pressure administered behind the animal's right ear, for example, indicates the elephant should turn left. Directional training provides a good example of the closeness of the mahout-elephant bond. Accustomed to its mahout's voice, odour, and technique of applying pressure commands, the elephant will refuse to respond to commands given by a strange mahout.
Once the initial obedience training is complete, the elephant and its mahouts enter into a four-five year course in log handling and other specialized tasks the animal is expected to perform. The animal is taught to drag logs on a chain, beginning with small logs with the size gradually increased. The second skill introduced is to teach the animal to lower its head and push a log along the ground with its tusks. It is also trained to lift logs using the tusks instead of obeying its instinct to lift it with its trunk. A mature elephant is capable of lifting up to a 400 kg. log with its tusks and dragging a load of 1.5 tons. Logging training will also include habituating the animals to noisy machinery, such as saws and trucks, which they might encounter while working.
The animals train daily for six hours in the morning , ending at noon, with Buddhist holy days off and a three month vacation in the dry season. Mahouts must hustle to keep their animals adequately fed. An adult elephant consumes 250 kg. of vegetative matter and 300 litters of water daily.
The next time the visitor to Chiangmai ooh's and ah's at the elephant show or enjoys a trek in a swaying howdah, keep in mind the years of arduous training that gave the elephant and mahout those impressive skills.
http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/elephants_at_work.html
The Thai Elephant --Symbol of Nation
The Thai Elephant --Symbol of Nation
Elephants have been revered in Thailand for many centuries. Famous
as the strongest beasts of burden, in Thailand they were important
in battle, with kings mounted on Elephants fighting the Burmese to
defend Thailand on many occasions. They have also been noted for
their intelligence, memory and pleasant nature. A Thai legend has
it that a marriage is like an elephant-- the husband is the front
legs, that choose the direction, the wife the back legs, providing
the power ! A white elephant is even included in the flag of
the Royal Thai navy, and the "order of the white elephant" is one
of the highest honours, bestowed by the king. White elephants,
in fact, are very rarely completely white. The skin has to be
very pale in certain areas to qualify as a "white elephant" 
In the past, wild elephants were caught and trained. The city of Mae Hong Sorn
was founded as a stockade for newly caught elephants, since that
region had a high elephant population. This century, the number of
elephants has declined so rapidly that the entire domesticated stock
are one or more generations from their wild forebears. There are
still a few thousand wild elephant in northern Thailand, in
remote jungle south west of Chiangmai. The Forestry Department uses trained elephants to extract illegal stores of teak logs, which poachers keep in remote areas where the use of vehicles would be impossible. Most elephants nowadays, however, are used to carry tourists around -- probably easier and more pleasant work than dragging heavy logs !
There are two main species of elephant in the world. The African Elephant -- Loxodonta, which is larger with bigger ears and a less docile nature. The ears help the animal to lose heat on the sunny open country it inhabits in Africa. The Indian elephant -- Elephas, is a native of thick forest, so is smaller, with much smaller ears. There have also been reports of pygmy elephants in South East Asia, only 1.5 metres tall, but these are probably extinct. The Indian elephant is 3 metres from the ground to the highest point of the shoulders (males 50 cm bigger). They weigh about four tons, and need 250 kgs of food a day, and 60 gallons of water.They are vegetarians, eating a wide variety of plants. In Thailand, their favourite food is tamarind, but as anyone who has been to an elephant camp knows, they seem to love bananas and sugar cane. Both sexes have tusks, although they are far larger in the male. Some males do not grow tusks, and are supposed to be better workers.
The trunk is a highly sensitive organ -- capable of very delicate manipulations. I saw an elephant with an itchy leg pull down the branch of a tree to scratch itself. This did not quite do the trick, so it put one end of the branch in its mouth and chewed it a little, then tried again, with better results. This was a clear example of tool making and using -- which used to be a definition of 'human'.
Elephant Society
In the wild, elephants stay together in herds of 5 to 20 individuals. There is always a leader, the strongest male. When threatened, the males, normally docile, will charge their foes. When families give birth, after a gestation period of 22-24 months, she goes to a grassy, comfortable spot with a 'friend', who acts as midwife. This friend clears up the afterbirth and placenta, and keeps mother and baby apart. There are cases of mothers, confused and exhausted, killing their new- born, if there is no friend to stop it. There is nothing sadder than a mother elephant who gives birth to a still born baby. She will stay with the dead body for several days, grieving. The life expectancy of elephants is in the 70's, and many over 100 years have been reported. The usual cause of death in the wild is the teeth, which were out, and the elephant dies of slow starvation. Elephants only sleep for three or four hours a day, usually from 11pm to 3am. They simply lie down, yawning and later snoring just like humans. Only sick elephants sleep standing up.Training
Elephant calves begin their training when they are about four
years old. They quickly learn and obey the words of command. They
get to know their driver (mahout), and get used to being mounted
and dismounted. For the first month they are kept restrained in a
wooden 'crush' while they learn the basics. Later, they
learn more complex instructions needed to work with teak logs,
including kneeling, picking things up, dragging, rolling, pushing,
carrying etc. By the age of ten, they are ready for 'graduation', and
the work of an adult. A working elephant can lift 700kg, and haul
two tons of wood one kilometre without a break. Their natural
walking speed is about 4km per hour. They reach their physical
peak at 25 years old, and work until they are 60 years old, then
they are retried and set free. Where to See and Ride Elephants
There are several sites which have daily elephant shows. The
closest is at Mae Sa, only 20 kms from Chiangmai. Further afield is
Chiang Dao elephant camp, another 30 kms north. 80kms south of
Chiangmai, on the road to Lampang, is the 'Thai Elephant
conservation Centre'. Under Royal patronage, opened by Queen Sirikit,
a large area of replanted teak forest is worked by donated
elephants. The idea is to prove by doing it that elephants make
more sense than vehicles -- they do not damage the surrounding
forest so much, they do not require petrol, and damage the soil far less
than vehicles. There is even a plan to manufacture teak furniture
on site in a few years. There is an excellent show tree times a
day. At all the camps, after the show those interested can enjoy a
ride of various duration's through pretty scenery. There are also
several smaller elephant camps, some with shows. Most elephants in the north are owned by people of the Karen hill tribe -- in fact many of the mahouts wear the traditional red shirts of Karen men. I once fell off an elephant. Fortunately a very rare event. The beast did not have his usual mahout, and it was very hot. The elephant simply kneeled down, and I and my companion simple slid off. no-one was hurt, but it was quite a shock -- its a long way down!
Elephant Art Is Popular
Elephant Art Is Popular
The Lampang Elephant Conservation Center managed
by the Forest Industry Organization is under the government
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. The Center's main
concerns are to sustainably conserve Thai elephants, to protect
and to provide them with veterinary care, to support responsible
development of eco-tourism and to take care of auspicious
elephants known as "changpuak" or white elephants. In Tourism circles,
the Thai Elephant Conservation Center received an award from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
in 1998. The center has many activities in which elephants play a
part which visitors can watch such as training elephants to draw
and to play musical instruments.The drawing activity at the Thai Elephant Conservation Center was introduced and later supported by Nancy Abraham, Richard Lair and Alex Meiarmid of a team who developed the Asian Elephant Art and Conservation Project in New York USA. Selected elephants have been trained there since 1997 and mahouts are closely involved with this activity. The drawing instruments are paints brushes, paper or cloth. Elephants are able to draw because of their flexible trunks which can clasp a brush that has been dipped into the paint by the mahout. Then, the elephants paint on the paper or cloth using their imagination. The colors are selected by the individual mahout. Each picture that is produced is varied and beautiful. After a while the elephants quickly paint with confidence. The Thai Elephant Conservation Center has many intelligent elephants for example Pharatida, Lookkhang, and Lookkup.
Their pictures are very interesting to visitors who are very kind when they see the paintings and donate money to the elephant artist. Visitors are thrilled to accept an elephant painting as a priceless souvenir. Besides paintings being sold at the Center, elephant paintings are shown in exhibitions attracting many visitors at many important hotels in both Bangkok and Chiangmai.
Visitors and all interested persons wanting to see elephant drawings can drive to the Thai Elephant Conservation Center located km. 28-29 Lampang - Chiangmai Rd., Tambon Wiangtan, Ampur Hangchat in Lampang province. Elephant drawings are seen after the show of elephants at work and the parade of the adorable baby elephants. The daily shows can be seen at 10.00 AM and 11.00 AM. On government and other holidays there is an additional show at 1.30 PM. The entrance ticket is only 50 Baht.
It is often said that beauty is in the eye of the beholders as related in a recent newspaper article about elephants in a European zoo painting fabrics. These fabrics were then made into women's fashions. There was one art critic who didn't appreciate the elephant paintings. A five year old girl who must have been scolded a few times about "staying in line" harrumphed and said of the elephants' work, "That's not painting -- that's scribbling".
If you want more details about elephant paintings, please contact
Tel. (054) 228108, 228034 or Fax. (054) 231150, 228034.
www.thaielephant.com E - mail: elephant@fio.or.th
http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/elephant_art.html
Elephants as Artists
Elephants as Artists
Elephants are an important part of Thai culture and the Thai way of life. They are a traditional symbol of royal power, an essential feature of Buddhist art and architecture, an a spiritual mentor for people of all walks of life. In the early part of this century, elephants roamed freely and in multitude throughout Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Prior to the 18th century they were the main machine of Southeast Asian war, a Thai king of the late 17th century having had 20,000 war elephants trained for battle. Elephants in Thailand have always been a symbol of both power and peace. They have always performed the most exacting physical tasks. And they have always been well loved.The number of elephants in Thailand today is limited to about 2,000. Most of these are at various elephant camps around the country where they learn to work in the forests and mountains and to entertain the hundreds of thousands of people who go to see them each year, and where they live, play and reproduce in a setting that is as close to the wild as possible.
Elephants have plied in Thailand's Jungles since the days of old Siam. The elephant is acknowledged as having many wide attributes, and perhaps the most obvious is showmanship. Talent for a stately presence, for delicate foot movement and agility, for intelligence on the field of sport, and at the same time a particular gentleness that makes the elephant not only a highly respected creature of the land but also one that is appreciated and loved.
Trained elephants can entertain people in many ways elephant racing, tug-of-war, football match, walking over the persons with their bellies on the ground, carrying the lady, surfboard, sitting on the stool, etc.
Thai elephants can be found in the tourism sector, logging industry, wandering in national parks or local circus. Of these only about 20 elephants can paint. Elephants producing artwork could be a solution to raising funds to preserve Thai elephants. Mrs. Anchalee Kalmapijit a director of the Mae Sae Elephant Camp came to realize the admiration the Japanese have for elephant art when she saw the popularity of the travelling elephant art exhibition while she was visiting Japan. She asked herself how could she educate and create awareness among Thai people to increase their appreciation of this rare talent found in a selected few of the country's beloved elephants.
The Mae Sa Elephant Camp and the Imperial Mae Ping Hotel have joined together to organize "The World's Best Elephant Art Exhibition" at the Imperial Mae Ping Hotel. The exhibition continues until March 2004. Each day around 5 pm two elephants demonstrate their skills in painting Chinese water color technique. You may be meet Wanpen and Kongkam painting motifs such as flowers, trees, golden bamboo, grape and plum blossoms. Other artists are named Kamsan, Lankam, Duanpen, Panpetch and Songpan. (Four Shows daily : 5, 6, 7 and 8 pm).
Everyday there are articles describing the problems mahouts face in keeping their elephants well and healthy in Thailand. More and more often a common question commonly asked among Thai people who are concerned about preserving Thai Elephants is about ways in which the public can take an active role. After you have visited the exhibition, urge your neighbors, friends, and school mates to visit the exhibition to generate greater interest in how to save Thai Elephants.
Become a member of the Elephant Art Club
If you are concerned about the plight of elephants in Thailand, you can become a member of the Elephant Art Club. The objectives are:- To be the coordination center for elephant artists throughout Thailand.
- To promote close cooperation in development of Elephant Art through painting techniques and providing certified veterinarians for elephant health care.
- To introduce elephants as artists to the world by arranging Art exhibitions both in Thailand and other countries in the world.
- To coordinate financial resources to fund better living conditions of both elephants and elephant keepers and to assist in their permanent settlements.
- To promote Thailand as a fascinating tourism destination.
- To raise funds for Thai Elephant Conservation Projects.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Our Objective
At
Thai Elephant Home we believe our elephants should be treated with
respect and care. We love our elephants and treat them as a member of
our family. Therefore:
- Our elephants never work too much, the work is paced and there is plenty of time for rest and play.
- There is never any abuse, mishandling or ill-treatment of elephants.
- We only allow one customer on an elephant at a time, accompanied by a one mahout. While you may see more then one person per elephant at other elephant camps, it is much easier for the elephants to have no more than 2 people on at a time. We do this to ensure that our elephants are not only healthy but happy
- The hook we use to train and control the elephants is not harmful to the elephants. It is a simple tool used for controlling the animals, but because of their thick skin only causes a small pinch
- We are happy to care for and cure any sick elephants. Pregnant and sick elephants and their trainers are always welcome at the camp and we will help them look after any elephant and nurse it back to health. This includes arranging any special transport, medication or vet visits they may need.
- At other elephant camps, you see a large wooden chair placed on the elephant to carry people. These seats are heavy and can make the elephant's skin blister and callous. Instead of the large seat, we ride bareback on the head or neck of the elephant. This is not only more comfortable for the elephant, but is an more intimate and friendlier way of interacting with the animal.
- Our elephants are lucky enough to be close to black mud, which is very beneficial for their skin and acts as a natural big repellent. Elephants that have bathed in black mud have more rough and dry skin tones.
- We seek to preserve and maintain the lifestyle of local communities and the mahouts, by operating in a sustainable and considerate way. All visitors to the camp learn about the traditional lifestyle, food and clothing of the mahouts
- We believe that our elephants' work is beneficial for the ongoing well being of elephants in Thailand and the local communities they work with.
Contact Us
Please contact Joe, our manager, for booking or to request more information.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Phone: Joe at 089-434-2047,
or : 081-716- 3980
Address:
Keudchang Maetang.
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Chiang Mai.
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Thailand.
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50150
MAP  |
About us
Who We Are
Thai Elephant Home was founded by Nayok Satien and is run by the manager, Joe . Guests will soon meet the friendly team, including Joe’s friendly wife and his son Oishi. Thai Elephant Home was something the owner wanted to do
for
years. He grew up around elephants and as a young man worked as a
travelling salesman that allowed him to meet elephants in many
inaccessible areas. The communities there soon learned to trust him and
to turn to him for help when their elephants were unwell. Learning to
administer these elephants medicine increased his love of the animals
and he trained at the famous elephant hospital in Lampang, before
opening Thai Elephant Home in 2006.Meet Our Elephants
We are a small family-run business and there is a waiting list of elephant owners who want to keep their elephants at our home. This is because at Thai Elephant Home we look after the elephants well. Sadly in some parts of the country, elephants are made to work even if they are old, pregnant or unwell. In other camps they are made to carry people on a heavy elephant box with blankets. Here at Ban Chang we do not use these carosouls but ride bareback, which is better for the elephants and makes for a more authentic experience.We would like to be able to expand , but in the mean time here are some of the select few staying at Thai Elephant Home.
Meet Noi, who is owned by the park’s general manager Joe. Noi has had a sad start in life before Joe came along. She was forced to walk busy bustling streets for 12 hours a day trying to get tourists to pay her owner for the privilege of feeding her a banana. It was long hot work in bewildering streets full of cars and teasing children. She is now much happier at Thai Elephant Park.
Pakboong was born in 2003. She’s never had to work, and is a lazy greedy little character. If you have a banana handy she will do anything for you, but otherwise, you might have to trick her.
Waan is a hilarious character who has been filmed for an American documentary, and is always looking to learn new tricks. Very
loyal to her owner, who spends a lot of time working with her, little
Waan, born in 2005, already has her sights set on an Oscar.Boonsi is another elephant with a sad story. She was born in 1967 and only came to the home in May 2009. She spent the majority of the other 42 years working hard in the jungle. In many ways patient, strong, and the leader of the group, Boonsi is also very hesitant. She’s scared of cars and loud noises, doesn’t like people behind her and is a little slow to trust.
Jampar is a youngster of the team, just born in 2004. He has no worries in life, having spent the first few years of his life following his mum around another park. In the early days of his stay he seemed a bit of a cool surfer dude, but he’s also the only male elephant so far, and the feminine touch could rub off on him.
Sommai - is a an old and wise mother of the group. Her young baby is constantly by her side and she is a very protecting and nuturing mother. The baby is only two years old and quite mischievous and rambunctious, He will be trained in the coming years but for now enjoys bugging his mother and playing in the mud.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Pregnant Elephant Program
Pregnant Elephant Program |
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| Price: B100 000.00 | |
This is a special event and doesn’t happen very often.
1. You will gain knowledge of how to take care of pregnant elephants, maintain the health of elephants until they give birth, check for milk and sexual organs of the elephants. 2. You will have an opportunity deliver the baby elephant with the mahouts and the veterinarian. 3. You will learn how to take care of the pregnant elephant until it is healthy. Other schools do not offer this rare opportunity to take care of pregnant elephants. | |
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