I've been trying for two weeks now to get reservations for the day-long program at the Lampang Elephant Conservation Camp. I applied on line and got an email response the very next day from Supat telling me he'd be off the next day but would confirm my reservations when he got back. Well, he never did. So a few days later, I sent an email asking about it, concerned that maybe he'd forgotten. Nothing. A few more days later, I went back to the website and tried another booking using their site - and wrote a note saying we'd be available any of three days. Now it's been a few more days and still nothing. Has anyone else had trouble getting a prompt reply on reservations at Lampang? I was wondering if it's because we want just the one-day program rather than the two-night homestay deal, but still, they offer the one-day program, so it doesn't make sense that I haven't heard. This is one of the top things we want to do on this trip, but I'm in a holding pattern on arranging other plans until I hear back from them. Any suggestions? Just curious as to whether this is typical and I'll be hearing any day now...

I made reservations by e-mail with Supat last week for December for the 3 day program, as well as asking a lot of questions and arrangings transfers through him as well. He always answered me within hours...but we are only 2 hours time difference, so we were probably both online at about the same time. The e-mail address I used is [email protected]
I didn't use the online form as it didn't work for me.

Thanks, Kim. I just gave that a try and will keep my fingers crossed that I'll hear by tomorrow!

I e-mailed and got a reply within two days but for a one day program, they were already booked in Dec. They only have 10 elephants for their programs.
Check out the website, they have a message board for comments.

I seem to be having trouble with my email. Twice now in the last two weeks, both times shortly after writing to Supat, my email made the little noise to indicate there was new mail and said 1 new message at the bottom, but when I opened the in-box, there was nothing there and the message at the bottom changed to 0 new messages. Like something disappeared. I wonder if it was email from Thailand (specifically Supat!) - has anybody else ever experienced this?

My email does this I think when something goes into the junk mail folder - do you have one of those? Perhaps the settings are such that it is transferring the email into that?

Bella - you are a gem! That is EXACTLY what was happening, although I have no idea why. But anyway, I found several emails from Supat who I think was getting a bit exasperated that I kept resending. I responded that my email was having problems and I was very sorry. Anyway, we are booked for the 17th! YAY!!!

OH NO! I just realized we're leaving the 17th, so I can't do it. Unfortunately the camp is unavailable for the day-long program for any of the days we're going to be there because of "the wedding ceremony of the elephants". I am SO disappointed, but I'd have to change all of my plans in order to work it in. I guess we'll have to ride elephants somewhere else and won't get to do the elephant training course.

Well I'm glad that my tip worked but really sorry you wont be able to go to the camp. It sounds like it gets very booked up - we are planning to go next July so I have made a note to myself to book this as soon as our dates in Chiang Mai are finalised.

Looking forward to hearing about your trip - it sounds wonderful!

is the Lampang Elephnat Conservation Camp the same thing as the National Elephnat Institute (www.thailandelephant.org)??

Does anyone know how far it is to drive there from the Lamapang River Lodge and how long it takes to drive from there to downtown Chiang Mai?

Althom-- can you still go and see the marriage ceremony? I just have issues supporting any facility that uses elephants for commercial gain and doesn't properly take care of them.Is there a later flight you could take on the 17th that would enable you to at least go there in the morning even if you can't do the training program. It's a high point of any trip to thailand and I'd hate to have you miss it.

Well, Karen, this is the time to pause and decide what is most important in this trip. If it's the elephant center, then it's time to cancel something else...

Remember, if you are like the rest of us, this will just be the first trip to SE Asia, not the only trip.

thaielephant.org is the same as the Elephant Conservation Center, I think. In thaielephant.org's FAQ I found the question "How do I get there" and the answer was to take the bus to the Elephant Conservation Center.

Kathie - I've thought about whether I could make changes, but the problem is from CM we're flying to LP, and there are only three days a week for that flight - it's not like we could just stay a day longer in CM and then go on to LP. To change things in order to be in CM when the camp has reservations available would mean rebooking EVERY internal Asia flight and EVERY hotel reservation except the ones in Bangkok... I'll give it some more thought... but although the elephant camp is high on our list, I can't see redoing the entire trip... I guess you can't have everything exactly as you want it. At least I got the hotels I want. And we'll still have a good time. I wonder if there are other elephant camps that don't exploit the elephants? Surely there must be!

Hm... I see that Thai Airways does offer a Saturday flight meaning I could extend a day in CM and be able to do the elephant camp... but that would mean cutting LP to just TWO nights. So I'd have FIVE nights in CM and just TWO in LP. That doesn't make sense... except I WOULD like to do the elephant camp. Oh, decisions, decisions...

Karen-- there is no right or wrong decision. You'll have a great time whichever you do but kathie is right. If this will be the first of many trips what should your focus be now? I'm about to spend 11 days in CM so obviously I love it and could easily fill my time. But LP is also wonderful. Question is how important the elephants are because this is the only place you can have that experience.

If I do shorten my time in LP, the good thing is the flight is earlier in the day, so I'd arrive around noon and have that afternoon, all the next day, and until noon on the last day before flying to Siem Reap... that would probably give us time to stroll the town and even do the trip up the Mekong to the caves. I think I'll start checking on whether Baan Orapin could keep us for an extra night and whether the flight could be changed from Lao Air to the Thai Air flight without a significant penalty. Then the only change would be to tell Sayo we'd be there a day later, which would be the easiest part. My heart is kind of set on the elephant day...

Seconding what Gloria has also said about the elephant camp. The ECC is unique. You can have an elephant ride, see a show, see tourist attraction elephants, at many places in Asia.

I really think it might come down to really what kind of experience you are looking for. Many of the tourist elephant ride places are good. Just because they aren't as an intense experience as elephant camp doesn't mean they aren't enjoyable and memorable. The elephants used are seldom mistreated and most often well cared for (though not always). While logging work used to be how elephants earned their keep, now giving rides and shows to tourists is the most common way for elephants to live, since logging is now illegal. If tourists didn't frequent the ride/show places, those elephants would have a much harder life, as they require LOTS of food every day. I think most tourists would balk or walk away from an elephant ride place where the elephants were sorry looking and not well cared for, so for the most part, I think the other places are fine, too.

Thanks, Kim, I appreciate your input, although others have commented on elephants being abused. I need to give it a little thought!

there is a good article in the october issue of national geographic about thailand elephants (including the lampang elephant camp)...last week in northern thailand...a mother elephant and her 2 year old offspring stepped on landmines...it made the bangkok post...so sad that this is still happening to both elephants and people in s.e. asia