Animal abuse is a very big thing in Thailand. Tigers, monkeys and elephants are being exploited for the sake of the tourist industry. That's why I was so happy to find this place where elephants are treated with the respect they deserve. So far so good.
You have a briefing about each of the elephants, their families, their rescue stories and habits. Then you are introduced to them and are required to bring some sugar to feed them, as this is their true guilty pleasure. You are instructed how to act around the elephants and how to shout commands.
After that you go up the shed to make special power balls for the elephants, using authentic tools for grinding wheat and bananas.
Then you are shifted to a lake of mud and roll around the dirt with the elephants, while the guards throw mud balls at you. They say this is because elephants love to cover themselves with mud. The only problem is that the elephants poop all the time, including in the mud pile, so other than mud, you are also covered in elephant shit.
Next you are transfered to a jungle waterfall where you are supposed to bathe with the elephants and wash them and yourself from the mud.
At this point I was feeling a bit uneasy as the guards were shouting at the elephants to lay down and the elephants obeyed against their will. But I though I am just imagining things.
Once we were squeaky clean (as much as you can be with a single bar of soap exchange among everyone) we let the animals roam free in fields.
We had a blast and made great new friends, but once I was home and reviewed the footage on my Go Pro camera, I saw something shocking - one of the guards standing next to the elephant's leg, holding a wooden stick turns quickly to see if anyone is looking and starts hitting the poor animal to force him to sit. Heartbreaking!
So I beg you to research everything and don't fall for false marketing. I learned the hard way that if there are animals involved, most probably there is also abuse.
One place that stands out from the rest is the Elephant Nature Park. It seems to be authentic and restricted - so no bathing with the elephants!
