A new opportunity to interact with elephants in Thailand
 

A nice article in the NYT abut someone in Isan using Lek Chailert’s approach to elephants and tourists interacting. Lek is the founder of the Elephant Nature Park.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/17/tr...av=bottom-well

Sounds like a step in the right direction - educating the owners and handlers as well as the tourists.

Thank you for speaking out for the animals in Thailand!

So sorry but i'm now in mainland china and all NYT, and Google products, are strictly forbidden to be read. In fact, those two items and many others are totally censored out by the chinese authorities.

So, if anyone can paraphrase this elephant report, that would be nice, esp the location in Isan.

Thanks all.

Thanks for posting that piece, Kathie. Great article and good to know that there are people who are changing the approach to elephant tourism.

I loved the last line: when asked how the mahout knew that the elephant was enjoying the day, he said, "“They were making happy noises all day long”.

ENP also now under construction in Phuket, once it is opened I will post

I'm glad to hear that, Cyan, as the elephants places in Phuket have long been a travesty, Finally, there will be a place in Phuket I can recommend.

I went to ENP earlier this year and it was an incredible experience. What Lek has done to protect abused elephants is truly remarkable. I went on a day long hike with the elephants, feeding and petting them. Just amazing to be near them. So many have suffered through such horrific conditions.

The Park is all about the elephants and the visitors are there to experience these elephants and lend a voice against using them for rides, logging work and other abuses that injure and eventually kill these wonderful creatures.

This elephant preserve costs more to visit than many places but a large part of the money is used to continue Lek's work - it's money well spent. By the way, the elephants are devoted to her and if they hear her voice, they make a beeline for her!

I'd be careful about getting in the water that the elephants go in. Teaghan regretted doing that, IIRC.

Lek is also recruiting people to work at an ENP in Myanmar.

Glad to hear that she is starting an ENP in Myanmar!

First two rescued elephants now at the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary! Wonderful photos and videos on facebook of both of them swimming and roaming their new home.