Thai Elephant

Elephants were used in Thailand to help clear the forest and building road in the past.  Since I have been here, I have learned that elephants are not used any more.

 Did you know that an elephant can eat a ton of food a day.  And a wild elephant can destroy 3 banana tree in one day.  So elephants are beaten and killed as they are no long needed  any help.

 Many elephant reserves use elephant to carry tourist around which is very inhuman.  Many working elephant in the mountains are beaten.  Some elephants have had their eyes poked out.  Small or very young elephants have had their legs broken.

Some sanctuaries, some not so good and others are OK , have been established to save and feed these elephants.  I visited one of these when I first got to Chiang Mai.  It was not the best, but with the funds that were available, it was better than killing or even letting the elephant starved to death.

These are pictures from the Mae Rim region where elephants roam in the wild.  I saw many farmers gathering food to feed these elephant when they returned to home for the night.

This was an experience of a life time, as the population of Thailand elephants is decreasing.

I was so privileged to have this chance to see this.

The picture at the top is an elephant crossing the road, we had to stop and let them cross.

Who has the right away????  The big animal.