Day 8 - Elephant Park - Volunteer Change Over

Today was Monday, which is the first day for the new volunteers coming from Chiang Mai. Sunday night was very quiet in the Park, with just the three of us having dinner, and an early night - but AFTER a Thai Massage. Here at the Park the local ladies come in and can provide a massage for Baht120 which is about Au$4 for an hour. It is really like a family affair up the stairs in a loft above the main eating area - they chat and laugh.

(L - This is Tilly, and she is a good friend of Kham Puen - they are always together)

The new volunteers started to arrive about 10am, and that was just the same time that a truck drew up with 3 tons of pumpkin!! So we didn't hesitate but put them straight to work unloading. We had just finished that when a truck load of watermelons arrived and we had to unload that too!! So they got a quick start.

(R - And this is Kham Puen - and she is totally blind - having been blinded by a Mahout when she refused to obey his instructions - and that was just after her baby had died!! Now Tilly helps her - and at feeding time she depends on her smelling ability)

So I thought that in the absence of pictures I would introduce you to some of the elephants - we have 37 all together - most with heart wrenching histories.

(L - This is another shot of Tilly, and you can see that she has a bad rear leg - possibly due to some accident in a logging camp)

(R - A view outside the lounge area, with the elephants assembled for a feed, along with the 2 baby elephants that were born in the Park)

(L - Another view of the elephants out in the Park and another one hanging round the gate in the hope of an extra banana from some gullible tourist)

(R - The over bridge that runs out into the park - from here you can view the elephants below or as they swim and frolic in the river)


(L - I was lucky to meet up with Lek, who was the instigator of the whole drive to show the world just how cruel the training is of Thai elephants)

I have put my name down to become and Elephant Ambassador for the group when I go back home. Our task is to educate people about the brutality behind the lovely elephants that the tourists see.