Save The Elephants

During my stay in Chiang Mai, I had the privilege of visiting the Elephant Nature Park situated about an hour north of the city. Thailand is famous for its elephants, and hundreds of tourists come here every year to see these majestic creatures.

Thai elephants are simply a tool for making money. For years they were used in the logging industry to destroy their own home. However, logging was banned in 1989 and now tourism is the only way elephant owners make money. Tourists flock to Chiang Mai to be hauled through the forest on these giants. But not many know the training process the elephants are forced to endure. The Thai people think this is the only way to train them.

It’s called the Pajaan breaking ceremony. Usually around the age of 4 elephants are separated from their mothers and put into the training crush, a cage not much bigger than their own body. For days they are tortured and tormented. They beat them with sticks, they’re stabbed with nails in their most sensitive areas, sharp hooks are jabbed into their head and body. Whenever they struggle or cry, they are beaten more. They are given no food or water and are kept from falling asleep throughout this process. This horrendous training goes on for anywhere from 3-7 days. This is the beginning of the suffering for a domestic elephant in Thailand.

Thankfully Lek Chailert has created a haven for elephants that have been abused and mistreated. They now roam free at the Elephant Nature Park, never again will they be hurt by humans. Lek has rescued elephants from the tourism and logging industry, orphaned babies as well as other mistreated elephants.

Meeting Lek

At the sanctuary, I got to feed, bath and play with the elephants. It was a very special day being able to interact with them and share some love. I was so amazed at how much compassion the elephants had for humans after all the suffering we had put them through. They were so forgiving and full of love; it makes you re-think how hard we are to forgive others.

Me being small

Elephant Nature Park


I want to tell you about Jokia, a beautiful and graceful old elephant that I met. She was used as a logging elephant but would sometimes refuse to work when chains were put on her. To get her to work, her owners would fire arrows and sling shots in her eyes blinding her in one eye. Another time, Jokia was pregnant and ended up going into labor while logging on the mountain. Her owners wouldn’t allow her to stop working and when she gave birth, her baby rolled down the hill and died. Out of devastation and confusion Jokia again refused to work, her owner then stabbed out her other eye. Now completely blind, Jokia became useless to the loggers and now she lives with Lek at the Elephant Nature Park.

Jokia

I went through so many emotions the day I visited the sanctuary. I was disgusted by humans for what they put the elephants through, it actually enraged me. I was so sad for them. But seeing them now at the sanctuary was blissful and gave me so much hope. It was humbling to be there, and ultimately I think we can learn a lot from elephants. They have a sense of family and loyalty, they look out for and protect each other, they love and form relationships like humans. They are peaceful and forgiving creatures as we should be.

The suffering elephants go through is so little known to the outside world. And in Thailand, a blind eye has been turned to it. Thank God for Lek's love of elephants and motivation to keep going. If you go to Thailand and want to see elephants, go to the Elephant Nature Park and see them happy and free, in their natural environment where they belong. Please don’t support any form of elephants being used in the tourism industry. Its western tourists that keep this cruelty going, and there needs to be an end for these beautiful souls. They deserve to be free forever.

Friends