Difficulty contacting Thai Elephant Conservation Center
 

For a little over a week, I've tried contacting the Thai Elephant Conservation Center at least 4 times, but have not heard back from them. After all the discussion on the board, I'd like to make reservations with a place considered to be ethical in its treatment of the elephants, while still providing an opportunity to do a "mahout training". The frustrating thing is that there are forms that say that a response will be made in 24 hours, but that hasn't been the case. My trip isn't till January, but I also understand that it's high season, so I'm trying to get this arranged sooner than later.

Reviews on TA are generally good, but there are others who complain about the difficulty contacting them. I've tried the website (www.thailandelephant.org/en/‎) as well as the email linked to Supat, the coordinator, but so far, no contact.

Any suggestions or advice?

Try phoning - (make a trunk call)

Thanks for your suggestion. I've been thinking about doing this but feel a little mixed about it. I'm going to wait and see what happens in the next few weeks.

send another e mail

Bob, I sent 2 more today! I'll see what happens. It's early yet, but still...

Have you booked your hotel yet? Could you ask the concierge to book/ring them for you?

Phoning is more difficult to avoid........There may be a limited number of staff who can read English - so you'll have to wait until an English reader goes through the backlog - if you call it may bypass all that....there may be more who ca speak English than read it.

It is however a symptom of business in Thailand that emails that don't have instant appeal may never get a reply - so if you are asking for something they haven't got, rather than tell you they might just choose to ignore you all together.

I finally heard from them, but my husband would not be allowed to ride as he will be 66 and their age limit is 65.

I asked because I read on TA that they even refused a child who was within the age limit, so I figured I'd ask before I arrived. I also wrote that he is in excellent shape and health, but was told only I would be allowed to ride. So it goes.

Thanks, all, for your feedback. I'm not going to pursue this anymore.

khunwilko - lol