No. In an ideal world, all elephants would be wild. However, Asian Elephants became domesticated thousands of years ago. The majority of elephants in Chiang Mai cannot return to the wild regardless, due to habitat loss and strict laws. Unlike in Africa, there is no place left for wild elephants in Thailand.  They have livestock classification, so it’s illegal for them to roam freely in the Thailand jungle. If a company tells you that their elephants are free-range, please ask questions.

One of the reasons the Thai elephant population has declined so dramatically in the last twenty years is because elephants and mahouts could no longer earn a living. Mahouts could no longer afford to care for and feed their charges. This change resulted in street begging elephants and illegal, amphetamine-addicted logging elephants. We don’t want to go backward. Through ethical elephant tourism, owners can provide a home and stable income for both the elephants and the Mahouts. Lack of land, human-elephant conflict, and poaching make it very dangerous for elephants to be in the Thailand jungle. Even elephants in conservation centers and sanctuaries are not one-hundred percent free. With all of these problems, it is crucial to create the most humane environments possible for the captive elephants to live in so that they are protected and do not become extinct.

Yes. Work can be very stimulating for elephants, and studies have shown that working elephants live longer than those in zoos. We create a unique experience where guests can learn about elephants while interacting, playing, feeding, and bathing them. These are all stimulating but low-stress activities for the elephants.

For domestic elephants in Chiang Mai, our friends aren’t doing too badly. They are the offspring of domesticated Thai elephants— Not wild ones from Burma. The youngest were all conceived and born here, which promotes elephant conservation and indicates that they are comfortable and healthy. At Chai Lai  here in Chiang Mai elephants have elephant friends, a clean river to play and bathe in every day, a lush bamboo forest to sleep in, and Mahouts who love them.

Elephant tourism is also important because it’s a critical factor in government decisions to take proactive measures to preserve elephants because it is vital to their economies. In Chiang Mai elephants play a valuable part in education and as ambassador animals on behalf of their wild cousins. We hope that after seeing these beautiful animals up close, meeting and learning about them, and watching them interact in a loving and protective family group, you will leave a friend of the elephants for life.

No. Metal chair rides are unsafe for elephants. These chairs, which are already very heavy, can carry up to three passengers, and put pressure on a vulnerable point of the elephant’s spine. Besides that, dirt and other debris can rub between the chair and the elephant’s skin, causing painful sores.

There is a lot of misinformation online about elephant anatomy and their spines. Whether or not riding is harmful depends on the practice. For female Asian elephant cows, their average weight is about 3 tons (6,000 pounds), so you would be roughly 2.5% of her weight. Sitting on her back alone will not hurt her. Scientific studies conclude that elephants in camps offering rides tend to experience less stress than those in an observation-only site.

However, chairs and saddles hurt an elephant if the padding is too thin or has stones and other debris beneath it. They also multiply the weight each elephant has to carry. Additionally, if the chairs are on the elephant all day, they can cause sores, and for the elephant to overheat. The chairs and padding need to stay dry so the elephant can’t swim in the river to cool down. See how riding an elephant can improve their health care here.

However, chairs and saddles hurt an elephant if the padding is too thin or has stones and other debris beneath it. They also multiply the weight each elephant has to carry. Additionally, if the chairs are on the elephant all day, they can cause sores, and for the elephant to overheat. The chairs and padding need to stay dry so the elephant can’t swim in the river to cool down. See how riding an elephant can improve their health care here.