Elephants have long been revered in Asia as symbols of strength and power. Akbar the Great held them in high esteem, and used groups of them as medieval tanks in his conquest of India. The fictional adventurer Phineas Fogg used one to cross the jungles of the sub-continent to make it Around The World In 80 Days. Today, elephants are also used in hauling lumber and other cargo, traversing dense forests, entertaining tourists and even playing a central role during Sri Lanka’s Esala Perahera as they bear the Sacred Tooth of Buddha along the streets of Kandy. But their long association with humans have also exposed them to dangers of abuse and maltreatment with their keepers. In Thailand, elephants who outlive their usefulness are subject to neglect, while those in employ are given amphetamines to force them to work 24 hours a day. And the Thai government’s lax standards in elephant welfare allow such abuses to continue. Luckily for them, a kind-hearted woman by the name of Lek Chailert has established a refuge center in the valleys of Mae Taeng in  Chiang Mai province , some 60 kilometers north of Chiang Mai city.

The Elephant Nature Park is a sanctuary under the management of Elephant Nature Foundation, a non-profit organization which acts on the behalf of the rights of Asian elephants in Thailand. The foundation’s mission is to increase awareness of the plight of this endangered species, educate locals on their humane treatment, and provide sanctuary for rescued elephants. The park itself is nestled in a valley that is bordered by a river and surrounded by thick forests. There are no frills here like rides or games. What visitors get to experience are elephants in their daily routine of bathing, eating, sleeping and playing.

A day in the park begins with the purchasing of food at the local market. Visitors form a chain and pass along baskets of fruits and vegetables to the waiting truck. Elephants eat a 10th of their weight in food every day, which amounts to a whopping 200 kilograms per pachyderm! By the time they’re finished, the weary visitors climb aboard the truck and haul off for a 1 1/2 hour ride to the park. The 30 or so elephants then form a line outside the veranda to wait their turn at the food table. The picky ones will sort through the pile and discard the pineapples, watermelons, and bananas they don’t like; the younger members of the herd will get into scuffles for the right of first choice. After the meal, volunteers and visitors alike take buckets, brushes and beasts and head for the river for a bathing session, and it is not unlikely the playful giants will spray their human friends with a trunkful of water.

Visitors don’t get to ride the elephants, and they can’t approach them without the presence of their mahouts, or handlers. These elephants have been traumatized from being mishandled, and some bear physical scars. Most of them had been rescued from logging and tourism operations. Casual visitors are not welcome in the facilities, which can only accommodate small groups at any one time; only pre-booked groups may be allowed inside for day trips or overnight visits. However, volunteers in the tending of these creatures are always appreciated.

Another Thai event in support of elephants is the King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament. Since 2001, the King’s Cup pits 12 teams from 3 continents and has raised US 140,000 for the National Elephant Institute, an agency devoted to the medical care, sustenance, welfare, and mahout training of elephants. The Tourism Authority of Thailand fully endorses this sporting elephant, and spectators get to watch the sporting affair free of charge.

There are still 2,500 domesticated elephants and 1,500 wild elephants in Thailand. Due to the difficulty of breeding elephants in captivity, domesticated elephants are commonly obtained by taking infant elephants from the wild. Thus, these tame elephants still retain a degree of wildness; bull elephants even go through a period of hormonal surge called musth, where they become uncontrollable and mahouts deal with this phase by binding the bull to a tree and starving them for 5-7 days. Female elephants are more often used for labor as a result.

Elephants continue to be a part of Thailand’s heritage. After all, for a kingdom that is shaped like an elephant itself, this giant land mammal gives the biggest smile of all in the Land of Smiles.

Posted in Attractions, Thailand

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