The Dark Side of Elephant Tourism in Thailand

For centuries, elephants have played a significant role in Thai culture and have thus become an enduring symbol of the country. Unfortunately, they have now become an endangered species. At the start of the 20th century there were over 100,000 domesticated elephants in Thailand, today the situation is very different, with only an estimated 3,000-4,000 elephants in existence, most of which are domesticated.

Elephant tourism has and continues to be a popular tourist attraction in Thailand. A few years ago, on my first trip to Thailand, I thought it would be fun and memorable to go elephant trekking. So, I did. There are few things in life that I regret, but that decision is definitely one of them. Back then, I was not aware of the dark side of elephant tourism and did not give much thought to the ethical implications of travel. Now that I am aware, I feel a growing sense of responsibility within me to be more conscious of how my actions affect my surroundings both at home and abroad.

On my recent trip to Thailand, I wanted to try to make up for what I had done a few years back; though I knew deep down I couldn’t undo that experience. I searched for an ethically run elephant sanctuary that I could visit and support financially. To my dismay, I noticed that although many were calling themselves ‘sanctuaries’ by offering ‘no elephant riding’ programs, the welfare standards in these so called ‘sanctuaries’ were questionable. I became aware that, at night, elephants are still chained up and suffer from physical and emotional abuse. Fortunately, I came across an organization that truly cares and loves their animals – The Elephant Nature Park (ENP).

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Established in the 1990s, the ENP was founded by Sangduen Lek Chailert to provide a sanctuary for rescued elephants, in the northern province of Chaing Mai, where elephants could roam around freely and have a second chance at a happy life. As a Thai non-profit organization, the ENP’s mission is to provide care and assistance to elephants through a multifaceted approach: local community outreach, rescue and rehabilitation programs, and educational ecotourism operations. Since its inception, it has rescued hundreds of distressed elephants in Thailand and neighbouring countries from exploitative pasts, many of which were previously exploited for human entertainment (trekking, circus performances, etc.) and labour (logging industry). Over the years, the park has received numerous awards from institutions including the Smithsonian and has been featured in international publications like the National Geographic magazine and in documentaries on the Discovery Channel, National Geographic and Animal Planet. In 2005, Lek Chailert was named a “Hero of Asia” by Time Magazine for her dedication to elephants. Yet, despite all this international coverage, the ENP receives very little advertisement in Thailand for it is seen as a threat to the status-quo.

The following paragraph will provide some insight into how my day at the ENP went. During the 60 km ride from the city center to the northern jungle of Chiang Mai, a documentary was showcased to inform guests about the dark side of elephant tourism. Once we arrived to the ENP, we started preparing food for the elephants. The work consisted of washing and chopping up watermelons and bananas. It was truly surreal to see the elephants walk towards us and eat directly from our hands. Later on, we got the chance to walk alongside these majestic creatures through the jungle and to the riverbank where they got the chance to cool down and play in the water. During the walk, I could not help but notice the scars that these elephants had on their bodies and the pain they still carried in their eyes, despite the happier life they are currently living. Along the way, I came across a disabled elephant who had beaten endlessly in his past, a blind elephant who had been stabbed in the eyes with sharp objects and baby elephants who had been taken away from their mother to take part in circus training camps. I learned that before these elephants are ready to perform in circuses, they undergo a great deal of physical and emotional suffering as a way of breaking down their spirits in order to make them vulnerable and easier to control. The more I learned about these dark realities, the more I realized that I could not turn a blind eye and needed to do my part in sharing what I learned firsthand.

How could humans be so cold and heartless? Unfortunately, there is still a lot of money to be made in this industry and until there is a demand for animal entertainment and forced labour there will be a supply. Before behaviours change, perspectives about the way we treat and interact with wild animals needs to change; and this is where education plays a vital role.

The interaction time I had with the elephants at the ENP was very limited and that’s how it should be. In fact, I gained a deeper appreciation for these majestic creatures by simply observing them interact with each other in their natural habitat where they belong. I felt the need to write this post as a way of spreading awareness on an important issue that has really touched my heart. It is my hope that through education, people will stay away from “attractions” that encourage this cruel industry. If you are interested in going to Thailand and would like to support cruel free tourism, I highly recommend checking out the ENP and to choose a program you wish to visit and support. Should you be interested in learning more about elephant tourism, then I would also recommend watching the documentary ‘Love and Bananas’, which is available on iTunes.

Educational Resources:

https://www.elephantnaturepark.org/

https://www.saveelephant.org/

https://www.facebook.com/lek.chailert

https://www.petaasia.com/issues/entertainment/elephants/

https://www.elephants.com/news/world-news/posts/ashley-bells-documentary-love-bananas-an-elephant-story-connects-emotionally?gclid=CjwKCAiAkrTjBRAoEiwAXpf9Ceqa0OUQJTX1Ht61H4kOCzS-ungL6wavhZOGuH-0cfW3VF50pMLZqRoCpkYQAvD_BwE