Amazing Thailand AU – 137 Pillars support Elephant Nature Park

Lek Chailert started with a humble goal: rescue one abused bull. Now, she's the head of an international non-profit with a mission to end the mistreatment of elephants.

Elephant Nature Park is one of the best-known elephant conservation projects in Thailand. Set on the edge of a rainforest near Chiang Mai, in Thailand’s north, the sanctuary was founded by award-winning conservationist Lek Chailert in 1995. More than 75 elephants roam free here and each has a heart-breaking story: many have been saved from torturous camps that exploit elephants for tourism or logging purposes or other abusive situations.

Judges’ comments: Apart from all the usual elephant activities they also do rainforest restoration, have educational programmes, they set up Eleflix during the pandemic, they have 4 vets on site, they have their Elephant Food Bank, they have their Farm to Herd initiative, and they set up their Jumbo Express mobile clinic. A clear winner!

Beyond the amazing food, glittering temples and famously friendly culture, the country has yet another precious commodity: its elephants. And at Elephant Nature Park, an elephant rescue and rehabilitation center in the Chiang Mai countryside, you’ll be surrounded by them.

Faa Mai is an elephant full of love for one particular person — she’s obsessed with Lek Chailert, founder of Elephant Nature Park (ENP), the Thailand elephant sanctuary that Faa Mai calls home. Sometimes that love makes her a bit overprotective. In a recent Facebook post, Chailert describes an incident in which Faa Mai wouldn’t let her out of her sight — or her grasp.