Elephants in Northern Thailand

Old Jul 20th, 2013, 04:07 PM
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Elephants in Northern Thailand

There are so many elephant camps/farms/nature locations to choice from. We will be in Chiang Mai and wanted any suggestions on a good place to visit. I’ve done some reading and we were thinking Patara Elephant Farm however I welcome any advice to help us make the final decision.
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Old Jul 20th, 2013, 07:40 PM
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There are only two elephant camps I would recommend: The Thai Elephant Conservation Center near Lampang, and The Elephants Nature Park. I should also note that there are small divisions of the Thai Elephant Conservation Center at the Four Seasons Tented Camp and The Anantara at the Golden Triangle.

Commercial camps like the Patara are invested in making money, not in protecting elephants. They use techniques to "break" elephants and control them that animal welfare groups characherise as inhumane.
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Old Jul 21st, 2013, 05:03 AM
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I am looking at 2 elephant full day experiences and have yet to decide which one my husband and I will do. One is Patara www.pateraelephantfarm.com you tube video www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHuPcDn8MZU
The other is the Thai Elephant Home www.thaielephanthome.com you tube video in 2 parts- part 1 www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hqXfPcmxMc and part two www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GGAHaidl4k

They both get good reviews and appear to offer similar experiences. There is a small difference in price.
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Old Jul 21st, 2013, 08:32 AM
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That’s Kathie…. We’ll need to investigate farther then. Based on this information provided to us some places may be misrepresenting themselves.
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Old Jul 21st, 2013, 10:51 AM
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Kathie is correct; most elephant places misrepresent themselves and use cruel methods to break and control their eles. Elephant Nature Camp is a well-respected place that I can personally vouch for. It was an amazing experience - no bull hooks, just happy elephants!
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Old Jul 21st, 2013, 10:52 AM
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That should read "Elephant Nature Park".
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Old Jun 2nd, 2014, 06:20 PM
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Is there a place in or near Chiang Mai, where elephants are treated humanely, and where visitors can not necessarily bathe elephants, but ride on an ellie through a pretty area with a mahout? I have noted the 2 places recommended above. Is it possible to have this experience there? Or any other place?
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Old Jun 3rd, 2014, 12:14 AM
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If your Chiang Mai is your first trip then the chances are more you will be misguided by your travel agent.Read different blogs about the elephant camp of Chiang Mai where you will get good suggestions.. typically read solo traveler blog because they write real and useful topic that you will help you. Another way is spend time on google to get proper answer. It will be better if you get detail information from colleague who has already travel the Chiang Mai.
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Old Jun 3rd, 2014, 09:55 AM
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wkwb, read the web pages for both places and see if they offer what you are looking for.
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Old Oct 30th, 2014, 07:10 PM
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http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QzU8Jx4q4Q0
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Old Oct 30th, 2014, 07:17 PM
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Before making plans to visit any of the elephant camps in Thailand...take a look at the above video! If you still want to interact with elephants, visit the Elephant Nature Patk in Chai Mang...a true sanctuary where you can see and interact with these gentle giants in a more natural setting. Elephants camps are nothing but misery and suffering for elephants. WATCH THE VIDEO!!!!
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Old Oct 31st, 2014, 11:17 PM
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Rulke of thumb...if they allow rides,steer clear. - they are breaking one rule so they will probably break others
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Old Nov 1st, 2014, 06:14 PM
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Elephants are not horses please understand that! There back are all bones!Not made to be ridden
By humans.All that was for profit!Some idiot thought up!
They are beat into submission, starved, no water, chained all day, worked all day.then when there back finally breaks, or they go lame then they r replaced.Just a object for use.Like a tractor!
Slaves!
The camp u r talking about uses bull hooks to beat them,they get good reviews from non educated
Tourist that DO NOT KNOW what goes on behind the scenes.So, to them it's all good.
Most these Eles are leased out.

There is only ONE Just ONE rescue sanctuary in Chang Mai. That is The Elephant Nature Park.
The Thai s will tell u anything to make a buck!The travel agent gets a commission fron these places. As well as taxi drivers don't forgets,
The other camps are tourist traps,sick places for ill-educated tourists! Very, very horrible places!
All true no lies here'!
Please don't go to those places if u love Elephants!
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Old Nov 12th, 2014, 10:27 PM
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Um, zoso, all domestic animals and many wild ones are treated as dumb brutes by many, many people. Dogs, horses, pigs, cows, camels, bears, etc, even honey bees are exploited and used by 'WE, THE PEOPLE'.
And it's difficult for me to see how elephants suffer when a person sits on his/her back. This is not to condone the treatment needed to reduce the anxiety of the ele prior to the saddle, but horses suffer the same.
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Old Nov 13th, 2014, 06:47 AM
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I went to the Baan Chang Elephant Park on November 13, 2014, and thoroughly enjoyed my experience. You can read about it on my Thailand blog here:

http://altecockertravels.weebly.com/...-thailand.html

Baan Chang has a facebook page. Look in the albums for photos for groups. I was with Vinai on November 13, 2014. I have had no success posting the link from facebook but just look at any of the albums for photos of what to expect.
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Old Nov 13th, 2014, 01:34 PM
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"all domestic animals and many wild ones are treated as dumb brutes by many, many people"

That is not a justificaion for abusing elephants.
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Old Dec 3rd, 2014, 07:31 AM
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"it's difficult for me to see how elephants suffer when a person sits on his/her back. "

Elephant’s backs aren’t built for humans to ride, and they often end up with foot injuries and permanent spinal damage as a result.
Injuries resulting from riding are often increased by ill-fitting and poorly maintained equipment which in turn increases the amount of pain and injury to the animal

Spine and neck damage, pressure wounds, rope sores, abscesses around the belly, internal injuries and overwork leading to problems resulting from dehydration and even starvation

Elephants are often expected to carry up to ¾ of a ton! - the equivalent of a family caravan on their back. Without the chairs etc. two happy tourists are likely to be a burden of 150 kilos or so.....all pushing down on a spine that is mechanically unsuited to take these sort of pressures
2 people over 150 kilos!
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Old Dec 17th, 2014, 06:21 PM
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Following on from Intrepid, Australia, Apollo in Denmark have ceased offering tours to 11 out of 17 elephant attractions previously offered in Thailand and India.

http://scandasia.com/danish-tour-ope...lephant-tours/


"Apollo has created a new Code of Conduct in collaboration with World Animal Protection and CITES."

Tour companies are increasingly concerned and investigating the effects of their businesses on animal welfare.

I'd suggest it is a good idea for tourists to do their ow research too before handing over their hard-earned money to companies that live on the back (sometimes literally) of animal exploitation.
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Old Dec 24th, 2014, 04:01 AM
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The bottom line is that elephants were always domesticated by man in Thailand. If you are going to stop using them in elephant parks, you need an economic alternative to keep them alive. All domesticated animals are "tortured" somewhat to be broken in to serve man. Not all baby elephants are the victims of the abuse in the videos.

I am glad I did what I did regarding elephants while I was here because I know I helped keep them alive by participating in elephant tourism.

Khun's assertion that there is plenty of jungle to support a hugely increased elephant population simply is not true.
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Old Dec 24th, 2014, 05:07 AM
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All domesticated animals are "tortured" somewhat to be broken in"

I hope not all, but even if this is true, many wrongs do not make a right.

"all baby elephants are the victims of the abuse in the videos."

Sadly, most are.

Khun's assertion that there is plenty of jungle to support a hugely increased elephant population simply is not true


Did he assert this? Khun?

Lauren, it's not so much that the elephant population would be hugely increased as it's been hugely decreased.

If you are going to stop using them in elephant parks, you need an economic alternative to keep them alive"

The Elephant Nature Camp is working with other organizations to re-expand the elepant's habitable range, and to offer the tourist a kinder alternative to traditional elephant activities.
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