Elephant Friendly Project, February 2010
17th February, 'Friendship is love with understanding' (ancient proverb)
If people were to ask me, 'how was your experience in Thailand?', would I tell them about the crazy times at the full moon party, or the adrenaline rush I had ziplining through the Thai's jungle, or tell them about the beautiful beach of Phi Phi islands? Perhaps I could... However, my truly, real experience would be the volunteering with the Eco Explorer crew.
My journey as a volunteer starts with Arnon and Sarah (ie French intern) in the outskirts of SriRacha. After breakfast, we ride out with Ms Dream (Arnon's motocycle) to an elementary school just outside of SriRacha city... Not knowing what to expect, I just enjoyed the cool morning breeze and the pleasant landscape of SR's rural area. After I finally arrived at school, the unexpected happened... Kids from every direction came to our ride, yelling and cheering as some celebrity or important person just arrived... Yet, in my mind seeing their reaction, I didn't sin in the fact that the comotion was for me, their new English teacher. The week I stayed there teaching those kids some basic English, I feel that I learned and experienced more than the kids themselves.
After a sad farewell from the kids and their teachers, I am introduced to my next experience by Arnon's brother. Oh and Pin (primary intern). First I am taken for a quick tour of the elephant camp, showing me the installations and a brief introduction of the elephants and their respective mahouts. Finally, we enter the main mahout's hut and I am introduced to my mahout, Mon... Soon after I get introduced to Reung Tip, Mon's elephant. And from that moment I felt an instant connection and knew that this would be worth my time.
Even though I only stayed just about two weeks and lack of communication, I came to understand a great deal on the mahout's lifestyle. My mahout training was quite remarkable. Through Mon's guidance and Reung Tip's patience, I was able to complete the basic skills of a mahout. But more than the skills and training, it was the simple and humble life of a mahout that made my experience unforgetable. A once respectable profession in ancient Thailand. Nowadays, many mahouts and their family have been stuggling with poverty. However, even in the mist of poverty, I cannot help to be jealous of them finding happiness and contentment in the smallest events of life. Let it be from taking care of their elephants, of their social gathering with their card game, the lottery or Muay Thai match on TV. They seemed to find true satisfaction from these events. In my case, living with them and having established a friendship in such a short time, it's been truly an honor. Furthermore, observing their lifestyle, I am a changed man... And my perspective will never be the same again. I am grateful to all the friendships that I have established during this experience and I will forever cherish!
Sincerely, Juan Kim, Venezuela
3rd February, Shilpa's birthday!
Thank you so much Eco Explorer for this wonderful experience. We had a really lovely time training the elephants and learning all about the lifestyles of the Mahouts. Reuntip has been very sweet and I liked getting to know her. I hope I won her over and made her like women a little bit more! Thank you for a lovely birthday, I will always remember it!!!
I hope to visit you again soon!
Shilpa xxx, India
ReungRang was very friendly. I was initially very scared at first but I will write in my diary tonight: 'I spent the day with the biggest animal'. Thank you so much for allowing me to become her friend. She is one I will never forget. Please make sure you send me photos (shalina84@hotmail.com). Thank you to the team for a fun day (not just with the elephants) but also with Pin, Sarah, Juan, Arnon, Kai and also Cockie....
Will definitely see you again
Love, Shalina xxxxx, India
Thong Bai was an absolutely gorgeous and beautiful elephant! The day was incredible and I would highly recommend to anyone. You all gave us such a welcome and hospitality you really made our trip! Thank you so much1
Love, Komal xxx ,India
PS: please email any photos to komi-00@hotmail.com.
One of the best days! So glad we spent the whole day getting to know the elephants. I want to take Bung-un with me to London! Thank you for a really wonderful day. You are all so lovely :). Keep in touch with the photos!
Love, Sejal, India
A super fun day, authentic and an excellent experience. Thanks again.
Jaiyna, India
Elephant and Mahout Friendly Project, January 2010
I have just finished a week at the elephant camp training with Kamoon and her mahout Pikamoon. Although I was very nervous at first, I have had an amazing time getting to know Kamoon and Pikamoon and they have been very patient with me and also made me feel very safe. Unfortunately I was Mrs Clumsy and managed to trip over a tree stump in the ground and injured my foot! All the team looked after me very well and I had a trip to the doctor's. It slowed my training down a bit_ but that just means I will have to come back in March to complete it! Yai! Can't wait!
Pin was a great help as she spoke English_ thank you so much for being my chaperone. And Oh was equally helpful, taking us wherever we needed to go, singing songs, making fish from banana leaves, and dancing!! My week has flown by and been very eventful_ the best birthday I could have wished for. Thank you all so much and see you in March!
Jayne Turner_ England
Elephant and Mhaout Friendly Project, December 2009
Just finished 4 weeks at the elephant camp in Pattaya. Had a really wonderful experience with Kamoon, my elephant, her mahout Sawang (P'Kamoon) and all the staff.
At first I wasn't sure whether I'd be able to interact and bond with such a large and intimidating animal but within a couple of days, Kamoon's character really shone through and I was able to communicate and get really close to her. She loves attention, especially when it comes to food and getting her own way. Her face (and all the elephants in the camp) really show their feelings in their faces, in their eyes and in their mannerisms. I could (and I did) literally spend hours just watching her, eating, playing and of course being at her back and call.
Sawang (P'Kamoon) her mahout was tireless and very understanding in his training of the commands to ride and steer her and other tasks like putting on her tourist basket and her general care. ("You up! / One more time!) He has a great sense of humour and really opened his home and life to me and the team.
The Eco Explorer team were all great - I was the only volunteer at the camp but they always made sure I was ok. The food during my whole stay was delicious and eating like the locals was great. Pin was especially helpful, friendly and her English was great and made things a lot easier. I would have loved to have understood and spoken more Thai to understand people better!
I had the opportunity to help P'Kamoon and the team build "the Volunteer Hut" which transformed the back of of P'Kamoon's house and provided a great place to rest and just gaze at Kamoon and Dern-Pen (her neighbour).
We also made a name sign for each of the elephants which was really appreciated by all the mahouts and also designed some signs to put around the camp, giving "elephants facts and info" which gave the mahouts more points of interest to discuss with the tourists to make their experience more interactive and hopefully increase their tips.
Arnon has created a really great program which provides volunteers with a real insight in the mahout lifestyle and the opportunity to forge an amazing bond with such an amazing, beautiful and kind creature - the chang (elephant).
I am going to miss Kamoon so much and will never forget the feeling of staring deep into her eyes and feeling her power and kindness or of sitting on her neck and knowing that it's her choice to allow me there and to follow commands.
I will also miss the other wonderful creatures - Jumbo - Honey (the new puppy) - Bobby (the new puppy that Arnon found near to death in the forest and who made a great recovery).
Thank you to everyone!
by Vanessa Read, Australia.
"I could never thank you enough for your kindness and your help during our stay with you! Thanks to you we really had a chance to know the real Thailand ….
Our stay in Krabi and Phi Phi was nice… but nothing compared with our stay at the temple and with you!
You were a great host, and your mother was very nice as well…
Kind Regards,
Francisco Ferrão, Portugal
Elephant Friendly Project, 2 weeks
Well! I don't know where to begin!
I have spent two weeks here at the Elephantt project in Pattaya and I have never had so much fun! This project has been a truly awesome experience and words cannot express truly how much of a fantastic time I've had here!
Two of the main reasons I've had such an amazing time are; Singtong, my elephant, and Pekran, her mahout. Although I speak next to no Thai and Pekran speaks very little English, and my 'elephant speak' is limited we all got on brilliantly. (Singtong could have more of an effort with her English I thought) But it shows that language doesn't have to be a barrier!
A typical day in the life of a trainee mahout would include: being at the camp for 7am each morning, cleaning our elephant's area, possibly taking her for a shower and learning the different commands for controlling her. Back over to the hotel for a hearty breakfast by 8am until 9am, to give us energy for the rigorous training for the rest of the morning. From 9am until approx 11am we would make sure our elephant was fed, watered, clean and happy and then we would begin our training in giving commands. For the first 3 days we would just walk with our elephants round the camp to build up a relationship of trust, so the elephants could get used to our voices etc and learn to take commands from us. (I still don't think Singtong pays any attention to me, but it is really nice to see her follow her mahout wherever he goes and look around for him when he goes out of sight, maybe if I was able to stay for longer she would do the same?!) Same again after lunch at 1pm until approx 3pm. After we tend to our elephants in the afternoon we also muck out the 3 ponies (royal pains all 3 of them!) and scoop out the old coconuts for them to eat. I think I've managed to make all this sound really tedious! But I can assure you that I have never had such a fulfilling time as when I was scooping up elephant poop!!!
And after the first three days are up we are taught how to ride our elephants. And it's brilliant!! It's so comical to watch everyone clambering up their elephant's leg for the first time, swinging from their ear, and so rewarding to see everyone deftly leaping onto their backs at the end of the 2 weeks. A word of warning to anyone reading this who has the pleasure of riding Singtong; she likes to pretend to lift her leg for you to climb down to when getting off, but as I quickly found out she removes it just at the moment you are trying to lower yourself down, so you end up in a crumpled heap on the ground, slightly bruised (I've got some big fat purple ones, which I'm so proud of).
One of the rewards of being able to ride our elephants is taking them to the forest as the sunsets in the evening. Then getting up for 5.30 in the morning and riding them to the lake with our mahouts and watching them bathing as the sunrises. It's an experience I'll never forget and I was lucky enough to go several times, its so worth being shattered for the rest of the day!
Another experience worth being shattered for is pineapple picking! One evening half way through the 1st week we left at 6.30pm for the pineapple fields in the back of the camp's giant pick up truck. The mahouts have an arrangement with the farmers that means that they can take the plants from the fields that have had the pineapples harvested. This works well for the farmers as all the old unprofitable plants are removed by the mahouts, and means the mahouts get the plants for free (which works very well for the mahouts as an elephant needs to eat about 50kg a day!!!).
So here we were in the middle of a huge field up-rooting pineapple plants, and collecting stray pineapples the farmers missed; this turned into a bit of a competition between all the volunteers to see who could get the most pineapples for their elephant. Once we had made a big enough pile of plants we had to throw them onto the back of the truck (I kept getting in the way so just watched). It all took us about… 2 ? - 3 hours and once we had piled the truck to the top we had to climb up and sit on top! It was so cool! The truck is about …um…I don't know…very high. It was a bit prickly and I was sitting on all the pineapples all the way back, but was such a good experience.
By the end of the two weeks you really feel a part of the community, all of the mahouts are so happy and friendly, everyone is always laughing and smiling and I have never really felt that language is a barrier. Most of the mahouts are keen to learn English and really happy to teach Thai; staying at the camp is definitely the best way to learn.
I cannot recommend this project enough! They've got such a good thing going on here; the elephants and mahouts have a safe and friendly working environment, our money ensures that the mahouts wont have to resort to taking their elephant onto the street illegally to beg, and we can see for ourselves how well kept they are compared to the elephants that can be seen in Bangkok, which are drugged up with amphetamines to make them go for longer, kept in awful conditions and usually mistreated.
As volunteers we aren't treated so badly ourselves; we're very well fed, have very comfortable rooms and generally aren't worked to hard. Only complaint would be the compulsory karaoke singing at the local bar.
The only way that I can see that you wouldn't enjoy this project would be if you were dead inside. The more you put into it the more you are going to get out of it. I can easily say that I will take away some of the most …magical (it's hard to find a word to describe this experience!) memories of my life.
By Anna MacPhail U.K.
Umphang Home Stay Karen Hill Tribe Project
First day
Before I arrived at the Karen village I was so nervous. I had left the 6 other people I had been traveling with for the last month in Pattaya. They were staying there to do the elephant project and I was going on alone as the only volunteer in the Karen village. This was by far the biggest, most significant experience I was to have in my time in Thailand, and it turned out to be the best and most memorably too.
After traveling for a whole day from Pattaya to Um Phang, the final leg of the journey to the village was by truck. The village, which is called Ban Pa-Do-Tha, is about half an hours drive from Um Phang town. Once we had arrived we took a little walk around the village. The houses are all made from bamboo and wood, and are on stilts so they are raised above the ground. Animals like chickens, pigs and cows sleep underneath the houses. There is no running water but a few houses get electricity from solar panels. We received a lot of curious looks as we walked around, especially from children. Once you smile at the people they will almost certainly return a friendly grin and nod.
The house where I stayed belonged to an old man, who was about 75. He had the traditional Karen tattoos covering his legs and arms. He had previously lived with his large family in a house near by, but when his wife had died a new house was built for him to live in. From what I understand it is because his wife's spirit was still present in the old house. I got to go with a guide called Edd when he went fishing in the river, which is right next to the village. It looks seriously hard work! The net weights 7Kg and even more when it's wet and full of fish (or stones!).
To wash yourself and clothes you use the river, or you can use the fresh water available in the toilet. The river is more fun though! The children were quite timid at first but once you play with them and have some fun they soon become comfortable with you. For dinner Ahnon, the project leader, had bought some sea food especially for the children to try. They were also very curious of his lap top and were captivated by Harry Potter. Even the adults!
Second day
My visit to the village was actually during the school holidays so the school was closed and there were no teachers. I didn't mind though because there were still lots to do and I would teach the children when they came over to the house. In the morning we headed out to the fields after breakfast to help out with the farming. Normally the Karen people will get up very early and work up until 11am, when the go back home. They have some food and go back around 3pm. It means they can avoid the hottest part of the day. Don't worry though; they work in a very relaxed manner. When you get tired you just sit in the shade, take a break and get back to work when you feel like it.
A lot of things are still done in the traditional way, like farming without machinery or chemicals and weaving material to make traditional clothing and bags. We helped to pick plants for our lunch and you can help with the cooking which is good fun. In the evening we went to the head of the village's house and brought food with us. They are so welcoming. We were lucky enough to be able to watch a ceremony that night. It was Thai New Year on the 17th April and it was a ceremony to bring good luck for the next year. The villagers all gathered around a pile of food and flower offerings and prayed. It was really special to be able to watch.
Third day
As there was no school we took a trip to the next village. We traveled on a wagon pulled by what looked like a little tractor. It was a bumpy ride and we had to get out and push at some points but it was so much fun. Once we got to the other village we sat with a few ladies making brooms for a while and they let me have a go at spinning wool. It was so much harder than the old lady made it look. I could not coordinate myself but she was very patient with me. She then tied some cotton around my wrist as a blessing and apparently said I would live until my hair was the same colour as the white cotton.
They let us have a wander around their house and my guide explained some of their traditions to me. On our way through the village we were invited in to 2 houses and both insisted we eat some food. Well it would have been rude to refuse!
We cooled off in the river and some local children joined us for a swim and a play. They are such smiley people, even if you don't speak the same language you can still have fun. On the ride back to Ban Pa-Do-Tha it absolutely chucked it down with rain. We stopped off in one of the houses you find in the rice or corn fields. They use the houses to have a rest from work in and to store the corn or rice. But we used it to sit in and drink "happy water" the local whisky!
We played with the children for a while before we had dinner all together. You have to be quite inventive with the children because of the language barrier. The guides can always help to translate but if you can think up fun games to play that involve a bit of English the kids love it.
Forth day
I dragged myself out of bed at 5.30am for a treat. I went with a mahout who lived in the village, to collect his elephant from the forest. It took about an hour of walking to find her and once we did I got to say a little hello to her and feed her some fruits we found on the forest floor. Elephant skin is surprisingly rough and hairy and she was very gentle.
As we followed her back to the village Ahnon was telling me how well the Karen people look after their elephants. They do not even carry the hooks that you see most mahouts with. They are used if the elephant gets out of control. In that Karen village elephants are only used for farming and bringing wood back from the forest, so it's in the mahout's interests to treat his elephant very well. The mahout then took us for a ride on his elephant through the forest surrounding the village, which was brilliant. The mahout controls the elephant only by commands.
In the afternoon we traveled to Um Phang to spend the night. It was nice to use a shower, wash some clothes and use the internet.
Fifth day
Ahnon and the guides took us on a boat ride along the Mae Klong River in a rubber boat. We were on the river all day and stopped several times for a swim and food. We went past the famous Tee Law Jaw waterfall and several other little ones along the way, which were all stunning. I had the easy job of watching the scenery whilst the guides paddled! They had met a couple of Canadians the night before and invited them to join us, which was good fun.
We came back to Um Phang for another night and sat and had a drink together in the evening.
Sixth day
We left Um Phang in the morning and picked up some previsions on the way. They eat really healthily, lots of vegetables, rice and fish. I do miss a good cheese toasty though! Once back at the village I had a play in the river with some kids. We came back to the house and did a bit of teaching. Piphat, one of the guides brought his niece and her friend, who live in Um Phang, to come and have a lesson. Their English was really advanced and I muddled my way through past continuous tense etc. Thank goodness they brought their class text book with them otherwise I would have been in trouble!
You really do get completely immersed in the Karen lifestyle staying here. In the afternoon I helped to prepare food for the pigs and then feed them. After that I helped with the cooking. I plan on trying out a few dishes when I get home.
Seventh Day
Ahnon left in the morning to go back to Pattaya to the elephant project. It was sad to see him go. The children came over to the house and we played a game of bingo, which they loved. It's surprising how quickly they pick words up.
Piphat, wasn't feeling very well so he went to get himself checked out for malaria at the hospital. He said that there is a government program for malaria clinics in a lot of the villages, which is really good. Thankfully he didn't have malaria.
Eighth day
Piphat's niece and friend came for another lesson, this time passive and active voice! I helped cook lunch again and generally hung out there. It was an easy day. I visited Milay's house, an adorable little girl with the cutest smile. After that we went and sat in one of the huts in the fields that the farmers use to have their breaks in and dry the corn. I was sat with a couple of children, nibbling fried bananas and having a chat.
In the afternoon we watched some guys make a bamboo raft in the river, but it later turned into a toy for the children to clamber all over. Life in the village is so simple, I love it.
Ninth day
We were lucky enough to get to a watch and take part in a house blessing ceremony. First an elephant stood outside the house and members of the family pour water, whisky and things like rice over her trunk, whilst standing on the steps of the house. We then all went inside and ate together. After that the family gathered in a room and blessed each other by tying cotton around each others wrists. They wrap it around three times and it brings you good luck. I was so pleased to be able to watch and when one of the daughters wrapped some cotton around my wrist too I was over the moon! I felt so welcomed and really privileged to be involved.
In the afternoon we went to a neighbouring village where wedding celebrations were in full swing. Everybody was sat together, eating, drinking, singing, laughing and playing instruments. I got to have a go on a traditional Karen guitar, not with any success though!
We came back to Pa Do Tha and I helped feed the pigs. There was a big storm that evening.
Tenth day
Piphat took us to visit one of his friends who lived in a village past Um Phang. It turned out he was the local witch doctor. First he felt Piphat's wrist to see what was wrong with him. He then made him a potion from his bag of herds by grating them into some water. I then had a go. I got a clean bill of health but he made me one for good health any way. You had to drink it all in one. It didn't taste great but worth the experience.
After lunch we got escorted to the Palatha waterfall by 4 little girls all wearing their Karen dresses - very cute! Because it had been raining the night before the water was a bit muddy but we still had a swim and a play.
It was a full moon that night so after dinner we sat outside in our sleeping bags and watched the moon. Piphat played his flute and told me some folk stories. It was pretty magical!
Eleventh day
As it was a full moon the night before everyone had the day off in the village. We went across to another house in the morning, for more breakfast. The old man that we stayed with was there and he read my palms! He said if any of the things he predicted come true I should send him a bottle of whisky!
On the way out of the village we got called in to a little boy called Soput's house. There was another ceremony going on, but this time it was for good luck for a boy that was ill. I got to take part in that one as well. It is amazing how friendly everybody is.
We visited Piphat's niece and his sister in the afternoon. Wan, his niece took me on a little tour around Um Phang on her moped and showed me her school and a temple. We had lunch at a house that was being finished built. It ended up being a bit of a house warming party with lots of singing and dancing. It was the perfect way to spend my last night there.
Twelfth day
I had to say good bye to everyone in the village in the morning, which was really sad as Pa Do Tha had become a second home. One of the girls gave me a hand made Karen style bag which I will treasure. I then traveled to Mae Sot, where I had to say a hard goodbye to Piphat and get on a bus to back Bangkok.
I had such an amazing stay with the Hill Tribe and will never forget how wonderful the people were. I would love to go back and visit them all again.
Account by Rebecca Smith, uk
The Dusky Langur Conservation Community Project
Ileft Jomtien Studios in Pattaya, having spent the first four weeks travelling Thailand , to commence work with the Dusky Langur Conservation Project at Ban Klun–Thanod, a small fishing village which is situated inside the Khao Sam Roi Yod National Park . The National Park is in the province of Prachuap Khiri Khan, in the district of Pran Buri.
I travelled with Dean, who is an existing volunteer with this project and has been here 3 months and along with some friends from the Jomtien Studios we made our way to the to the village. We were greeted by Arnon the Project’s Manager and Von who helped him. I also met with some of the villagers and was immediately put at ease by their friendliness. We had a Thai traditional cooked meal – the food here is so good and nutritional.
Arnon has a Pug dog named Little and a rescued dog he found near the jungle dying from a terrible injury to his back (probably attacked by another dog). Arnon and Dean have nursed him and he is rapidly making progress. His name is ‘Jungle’.
Arnon, Von and Dean showed me around the community centre, the village and the area nearby where there is a nature trail where visitors can walk and the local community can enjoy. It also serves as a sanctuary for injured Dusky Langur monkies. Here they can be nursed back to health and retuned to the wild. Studying the Langur will help to improve our understanding and care of these primates. It also enhances the tourism to the village and is an example to the villagers how important the project is and directly involves them in the conservation and preservation project. Early that evening the Dusky Langur could be clearly seen at the mountain behind the village. They were such a pleasure to watch and observe.
This morning I was offered upgraded accommodation in a bungalow owned by Mr Lamai the village elder. It is very nice with sea views, air conditioning and shower. It is very comfortable and I am grateful to make this home while I am here. Today I went with Arnon, Dean and Von to the Khao Sam Roi Yod National Park to meet a large group of young people and take part in the parks promotion of conservation and preservation of wild life and ecology. Mr Lamai talked about the parks work and introduced us. Arnon gave a talk about the Dusky Langur and the danger it faces regarding extinction. Dean showed them our information boards which are now held at the Visitors Centre in the park. The young students were volunteering too and we all joined together in collecting rubbish along the beach and surrounding parkland.
We also observed a group of Dusky Langur feeding in the surrounding trees. They were a quiet group, looked very healthy and two females had babies (yellow in colour). Standing at a safe distance, not to disturb them, I was able to get such a clear close up view and take some photos. It had been a lovely day.
I woke to the sound of the cockerel and looking out of the bedroom window I was surprised to see a cow being walked on the beach. It was a strange sight to see. I thought wow this is such heaven! Today we went back to the National Park to erect some information boards at the visitors centre.
We saw a small group of Dusky and baby. One Dusky decided he was going to check out the information we had left in the visitors centre by jumping onto the window sill and taking a peek in. I hope he approved. This afternoon was free time so I wrote an email to the travel company and asked them to promote this project with further information. We need more volunteers!
Free day, a quiet time. Aui (Arnon’s sister)and I spent time relaxing on the beach and had a picnic lunch.
Today the team took some information boards to Khao Lom Muag where the Royal Thai Air Force – Wing 53 is based. The project has a partnership with Wing 53 to protect the several groups of Dusky Langur. Here they have been fed over the years which has enabled a better understanding and a chance to study them. This gives us vital information. It is not ideal though, the monkeys have learned to expect it. They can get agitated with each other with the strongest and more dominant grabbing at the food first and not allowing the weaker ones in on the feast. There are about 4 groups here, possibly 5 and through study has enabled the observer to recognise individuals by there markings and behaviour. Also, its apparent that some of the monkeys have received injuries which are difficult to treat without capture. These are observed closely at each visit.
Full moon presented a special day. It started with breakfast as usual. We were on our way to the National Park. It didn’t quite work out that way, plans change often here! We were invited into the home of one of the villagers, Arnon’s friend and neighbour. Here we found a wonderful celebration meal of Thai traditional cooked food, fresh fruits and sweets (a second breakfast!). We could hardly move after. We said goodbye and made our way to the shrimp farm where Dean was going to help out. A nice walk, where we could shed some of the excess, or at least so we thought. Here we met many friends who gathered together to move some fish from one pond to another. The day continued with an impromptue party of singing, music and yet more freshly cooked food including fish just caught. Delicious!
Arnon and the team left for office. Mr Lamai, the village elder and Senior Park Ranger took me to the National park. He kindly took me along the horse shoe nature trail pointing out wildlife of various kinds including birds, trees and tracks native to Thailand .
Near the restaurant at the park, a group of Dusky Langur Monkey was feeding. At first I saw only one female with a baby but very soon a larger group joined them. I was unable to observe exactly how many, as the group was very active but I could clearly see 1 male, 3 females, 3 young adolescents and 2 babies of about 3-4 months old. They were all feeding on small leaf tips and fruit from the tree. They then moved onto the restaurant roof and away to another area. Mr. Lamai said they would go to a quiet place near the jungle or mountains to sleep and digest their food.
It was quiet at the National Park today, Mr Lamai took me for a walk along the forest mangrove and mountain area. He pointed out various plants, trees and flowers. We saw only 2 monkeys in the forest nearby. Just on leaving we saw a very large group about 30 – 40 Dusky Langur came running along the main road leading to the trees by the restaurant. About 8 females had babies, they were very robust and some of the babies were foraging for food independently. We had to go but I did find it very amusing to see the monkeys rushing up the road as if they were running for a bus.
Today I chose to stay and clean the bungalow ready for visitors. I went to stay at Mr. and Mrs. Lamai’s home for 2 nights. The accommodation was very clean and comfortable. They had provided for all my needs and were very hospitable. I had dinner at the restaurant in the village. We eat here most nights; the owners (affectionately known as auntie and uncle) cooked a delicious dish of egg fried rice with vegetables and prawns, following this there was fresh fruit (melon, pineapple and other fruits).
Mr. Lamai told me that today he had two large groups of Dusky Langur in the National Park.
Each morning I have been taking care of Jungle the injured dog. He is looking so much better and we went for a walk. He has been very nervous but little by little he has been a little more adventurous walking a little bit further a field. We saw a very small group of Dusky in the mountain forest behind the village. It was hard to see at a distance but I was able to make out 2 adults, 1 junior and a baby. There may have been more in this group.
At the restaurant where I had lunch I met Mar and her family. She had overheard my enquiry regarding a taxi to the nearby town. She was going that way and kindly offered me a lift. I learned that she was a cookery teacher in Chang Mai teaching foreign students visiting Thailand . She had taught herself to understand and speak English by reading a phrase book and watching English films. Pran Buri is a bustling and thriving town. It meets all your needs including 7/eleven, pharmacy, general goods and internet which is very cheap. Later Mar came to collect me, she was very kind and we struck up a friendship. People in Thailand are so hospitable and friendly. No wonder it is called ‘The Land of Smiles’.
Today is free. After attending to Jungle and walking with him in the village I chose to sit on the beach reading. I could see the same small group of Dusky in the mountain forest I saw last time. Nice to see this family together peacefully feeding. Ahnon, Dean and Von returned from Pattaya and Jungle was so pleased to see them. They commented on how Jungle was recovering well from his injury.
Today we went to Wing 53 to see how our groups of monkeys were. We saw four groups. Group 2 had two injured monkeys who had been fighting. We needed to attend to their wounds but they were very wary and ran away. There was heavy rain today and the monkeys seemed content to stay in the forest with only some coming to feed. We also noticed that one of the monkeys had some missing fingers. We were not sure if the reason for this was genetic or whether it was a past injury. It kept away from the group when feeding, its also possible that they keep him out. We will check and monitor. We will also check the injured monkeys when we return in a few days.
Today we prepared our brochures at the National Park to distribute the information about the Dusky Langur Conservation and Community Centre. We also recorded information on the video camera regarding our work and partnership with the Khao Sam Roi Yod National Park . After lunch we set off to enjoy a Thai massage. I have had a Thai massage before, it’s wonderful I thoroughly recommend it, you feel so relaxed when all the muscles in your body have been un-knotted. It was one of those days because we could not find the hotel for the massage, it was pouring with rain, Ahnon was stung by bees (this is not a usual occurrence). We gave up and went back to collect Jungle to take to the vet. We travelled a fair distance only to find the vet had left early and was closed. Then the rain became even heavier. So we went to the printers to print off more brochures, gave up and went home and watched a very funny Thai movie. If you come here ask to watch it, you will never forget it, it makes you laugh so much, the name of the film is YHAM. Yes it was just one of those days!
Today we continued to shoot the video to help promote the project further, I wrote up my report, its quite lengthy but I feel it maybe very useful to know the day to day experience of this volunteer. Of course, different people bring different skills. The love of animals is a must and the ability to adapt to change in culture. Its very helpful to be open minded and enjoy every experience. This is a wonderful, beautiful country with the kindest of people. Working with this project is so worthwhile. I thoroughly recommend it. Come here and volunteer it’s an experience of a lifetime.
‘Jungle’ looked very alert this morning, he now avoids me after the trip to the vet! He is such a turn-coat! Never the less the caring for him continues with bathing his eyes twice a day and applying the antibiotic spray to his back. I wrote up my report while Ahnon, Dean and Von went with Mr. Lamai around the National Park editing and recording the video. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and enjoying the local food.
Today we gave a presentation about the Dusky Langur to a very large group of university students at the National Park. We had a farewell party at Mr Ja’s to say goodbye to Dean who was leaving the following morning. Such good fun with singing, lots of good food which the men cooked including locally caught fish, prawns and fresh vegetables. The Singha beer is good too!
Went to the National Park where we watched the video about the Dusky Langur that Arnon had been making. We said our goodbyes to Dean who was leaving us to travel back to Bangkok for a night or two before he left to return to England . He was such a good friend and volunteer and he will be missed. He had been here for three months working along side Arnon. He told me he will be back next year, he had such a great time it was like his second home. The rest of the day was free time which we spent relaxing, watching a video and eating a delicious meal in the evening. I did notice the small group of Dusky Langur up on the mountain forest behind the village, they were feeding and looked very relaxed.
Today is a free day (Sunday) and I got a lift at a reasonable price to Hua Hin which is a large modern town about 45 minutes away. Here you can browse the shopping mall which has designer clothes at very reasonable prices along with traditional clothes, art and crafts. It even has a Boots and Tesco. You can choose good food from the food hall or you can eat from western outlets such as McDonalds and Pizza Hut. There are also Japanese, Chinese, Indian and Thai restaurants. The night market is the place for bargains which is a must. It is very busy with a rainbow of people from all over the world and the street food is excellent and very cheap. You can also access the internet here from the many internet cafes. The night life is good with an array of bars, cafes and although I haven’t been myself I think there is a night club or two. It’s a good place to stay the night as there are plenty of hotels at various prices depending on your pocket!
Today we went to Wing 53 of the Royal Thai Air Force to monitor and observe the Dusky Langur monkey. There were three groups. Group 1,a large group all appeared to be in good shape except for one an older female. She had blood around her ear and shoulder which would prove difficult to treat without capture. I gave her more food as she looked a little thin compared to the others then she stole the whole bag of nuts and made a run for it! I could see her up in the tree having a really good feast. Today what I thought to be Groups 2 and 3 appeared to be one very large group. I noticed one Dusky’s tail tip was injured but looked as though it was healing. There were many babies in this group which I think were originally part of group 3, I recognised them. Two mothers were competing for the nuts when one smacked the other round the head, she looked rather bewildered and I honestly thought she said ‘ouch’! Then she just carried on as if nothing had happened. I had observed, that on a previous visit, one of the monkeys had a cut along its tail and was pleased to see it was healing well (without any treatment from our team). Group 4 were fed by Von.
We went to Sam Praya Beach in the National Park, we were there to monitor and observe the monkeys. We counted 5 adult monkeys but the baby, who we had seen the previous week wasn’t with them. Perhaps, it was a different group but we will look again next time we visit.
This afternoon I went for a Thai massage along the coast at Dolphin Bay . It was for 1hour 30 mins on the beach front. All my muscles and joints were rubbed, pushed, prodded and flexed, so too my limbs! It was worth it as I felt just great after. So if you come to Thailand have a Thai massage, you won’t regret it!
After the massage we went to the hotel restaurant nearby for something to eat. Big mistake! Unknown to us we had chosen one of the most expensive hotels along that coast, the kind of place where a V.I.P might stay. I had a sandwich (which was beautifully decorated!) Von and Uncle had Thad Pai, we also had three cokes. The bill was very, very expensive, so a word of warning, always check out the prices before ordering food when visiting a hotel restaurant!
We went to the National Park to observe the monkeys but there were none. Although Mr Lamai, the chief park ranger had seen a group of about twenty the day before. We sat and talked to several tourists as they came to the visitors centre telling them all about the project and the work of the team.
This afternoon I went to the Sai Cave at the top of the mountain at the end of the village, where I am staying. Von came as my guide, thankfully, you really need someone with you, preferably a local who knows the mountain and cave. It’s a fairly steep climb (for me) and you need to be reasonably fit (which comes into question as far as I’m concerned). I took it slowly and stopped every now and again to look at the view of the coastline (and to catch my breath!). The cave was amazing and well worth the climb but be warned; wear light walking boots or trainers, not flip flops, like me, because although the route is marked and there are some steps most of the way up, there are places that are a bit rough underfoot so you need good footwear. Von took some photos of me in the cave, I look a bit hot and bothered but I enjoyed every minute and would love to do it again sometime in the future.
Von and I stayed in the village today and were helping each other with learning the art of the Thai and English language. Von has been teaching himself English for some time and he takes every opportunity he can to get help from an English friend or volunteer. He is progressing well, working hard and communicates in English (he always has an English phrasebook to hand.) Whilst on this subject, it’s a good idea to bring a Thai phrasebook with you if you visit Thailand (The Lonely Planet, Speaking Thai is ideal). A lot of people in the City speak some English, but out in the suburbs they speak very little and a phrasebook is invaluable when you need to make yourself understood. The Thai people have a great sense of humour and just love it when you speak to them in their language along with some hand movements which always manages to raise a roar of laughter – I often wonder what I have said that’s so funny but the people here have a way of making you so relaxed and it eases any tension you may feel. You soon pick up the essential phrases.
I leave here the day after tomorrow so have spent time catching up writing my report. I doubt if I will get time to write further. I will be sorry to leave, what an adventure I have had here in Thailand . What an experience to come on this project and meet people who are truly dedicated to the cause of saving the Dusky Langur from extinction. There is much to be done (we need more volunteers!) and I will be back. In the meantime I am going to continue to help in whatever way I can as I continue with my travels and back in the U.K. My heartfelt thanks go to:-
Arnon, Project Manager of the Dusky Langur Conservation and Community Centre for being a great inspiration, teaching me so much, for making me feel so welcome and taking such great care of me. Most of all for making me laugh. I hope you will be able to carry on with the great work you do.
Mr. Lamai the village elder and his wife Mrs. Lamai for allowing me to stay in their beautiful bungalow, making sure I was happy, comfortable and I had plenty of fruit everyday, especially bananas!
Also for Mr. Lamai’s kindness in spending so much time with me at the National Park explaining its purpose and pointing out flora and fauna along its trails and helping me observe the Dusky Langur Monkey. I am enriched by this experience.
Auntie and Uncle for the wonderful meals in the Restaurant and the kindness of sometimes unexpectedly bringing them to me in the bungalow. Thank you for taking me wherever I wanted to go. Most of all, the fun and laughter we had trying to decipher what we were trying to say to each other!
Dean for helping me to settle in, making me feel so welcome and being a good friend and team mate – I hope everything goes well with whatever you choose to do in the future I hope you consider working with wild life, you have a calling for this kind of work.
‘By Jenny Bashford , Australia
The Dusky langur Conservation Community Project
My experience here at Ban Khung-Thanod have been some of the most amazing I have had in my life. I am staying with Mr & Mrs Lamai at their home in the village. Mr Lamai is the head of the village and is well respected by everyone. He is currently working as a park ranger beyond the usual age of retirement, this is because of his extensive knowledge about nature and the National Park which is considered a valuable asset towards the education of tourists, locals and other rangers alike. The Lamai house is very comfortable and a good nights sleep here is not hard to achieve. The hospitality of the whole village is heartwarming and I have felt at home here from the beginning.
The Dusky Langur project itself seems to have developed well over the past few months (since David & Lindsey Thorn were here) and the Sanctuary is still looking good! The Langur also seem to like it as there are now two groups that visit the village every few days to feed. Also, recently a new, third group was seen outside the village just on the other side of the mountain. This group's behavior will now have to be monitored and their numbers recorded. This is a good thing for the village and a very good sign for the Langur.
The village now as a Community Centre which will act as a HQ from where the Project can work. At this moment the Centre is in its late development stages and has most of the things we need to work effectively (though it does not have air-con.....yet. The fans will do for now :) With the help of the children of the village, we have painted a landscape of the Dusky Langur sitting on the trees with grass in the foreground and the mountains behind. The picture is still not yet finished and we are certainly no Da Vinci's but we have made a good start.
So far, up to this point, we have designed and produced a brochure about the DLCCC (in Thai and English) which contains the short ant long-term objectives of the project. It also includes biophysical information about the Langur as well as details of the problems they face, info on how the "reader" can help and contact details of the Centre.
Arnon has secured a working partnership with Wing 53 - the Royal Air Force Base at Ko Lomm Mouak - as there are around 8 groups of Spectacled Langur that go there on a daily basis to feed. There was a small team of people that took care of them up until now - just one grounds keeper and a lady that sells bags of food (peanut, corn and rose apple) for 10baht for the tourists to give to the Langur. Ahnon has spoken to the head of the Base and proposed that we work together to study the Langur and monitor their progress there. We will provide information about the Base and its surrounding area at the Centre and at the Ko Sam Roy Yot National Park in order to improve tourism there.
Also, as they have little knowledge of how to take care of the Langur other than to feed them, we have said that we will return to the Base every two or 3 days to study and, if necessary, to treat any sick or injured Langur they may have. In this event we would take with us a Vet and then, if need be, we will bring the rescue team to come and catch the Langur so we can take it back to Khung-Thanod and treat, medicate and rehabilitate it in the small treatment room that we are setting up. While The Langur is recovering it will be staying at the Sanctuary - its progress will be carefully watched.
Today (19th June 2006) we are going to pick up the DLCCC paper stamp, the DLCCC car panel stickers and some information notice boards that we have ordered in nearby Pran Buri. Hopefully they will be ready. We plan to have notice boards in the village, in the Ko Sam Roy Yot National Park and at Wing 53. Each notice board will contain info about the other two places respectively.
We have produced some presentation material so that, in the near future, we can take this to Schools and Universities and present about the Langur. This is essential in order to improve awareness about the problems that the Langur face and to hopefully get more people involved.
Ahnon is currently in the process of setting up a new website about the Langur Project though everything depends on how much money the Project has. We are trying to find funding to support the start-up and continuity of the DLCCC. Ahnon is always looking to the future and hopes it will grow to the Dusky Langur Conservation Society within 2 years. This depends on many factors but it would be a great achievement if the project could grow into the Dusky Langur Conservation Organization or Foundation. Again, the problem is money, or a lack of it, as there are many ideas and a willing to make them real however more volunteers are needed to get the work done at a minimum cost. For this, I think that we need to promote eco-tourism in Thailand and work with different tour operators to offer more opportunities for people to come and help.
"Team Langur" will grow and the aims of the project will be achieved but it will take time and a lot of effort. Ahnon can teach volunteers everything the need to know in order for them to do the best job they can. His English is improving every day and communication is becoming less of a problem for me. I have already learned so much about Thai people and the Thai style of doing things and my Thai speaking skills are improving (slowly!).
There is still no clear, set weekly plan of what to do as things are given an order of priority and then done as they are needed. For example, today's plan was to go to Wing 53 to speak to the head of the Base and update him on the last weeks developments. Then, we would come back to the village and continue work here.
However, the days plan changed to: me and another volunteer (Karen, who is studying for and researching for her Masters Degree) going to Wing 53 to study the Langur and Ahnon going into Pran Buri to pick up the DLCCC stamps that we had ordered. Then I went to check my e-mail on the way back in Kui Buri and I met Ahnon back at Khung-Thanot where we were informed that in the night we would go Dolphin Bay and present to the tourists about the Langur Project. We went there at 7pm and presented and also spoke to the manager of the resort who gave us a very good reception. She said that she would like to help to promote the Project in the future. This was a very productive visit indeed! Even though the days plans changed at the last minute there was still a lot of good that came from what we did. Afterwards, we relaxed at the Centre and had fun!
I have made many friends in Khung-Thanod; Mr Tham, Mr Ja, Mr Ae, Mr Lek & Yai and many more good people. Also, the children of the village are very playful and always want to learn from visitors, English or anything you can teach. If you have any little games or tricks you can show them this will entertain them and they will remember you.
I will never forget anything I have experienced here at Ban Khung-Thanod; studying the Langur in the village, learning Thai and drinking whiskey with the Local people, Squid fishing with Phee Ram and Phee Ae on a boat called Chang Deang ("Red Elephant"), Many fun tines with Mr Ja ,and the other men, at his very basic house just outside the village (Mr Ja is the "Langur Security". He makes sure that no one trespasses near the village and ensures that nobody shoot the Langur. Phee Ja also has a Shrimp farm that he has to take care of. He has to protect this at night time also as in the past there have been problems with the competition. Mr Ja is the younger brother of Lek & Yai and is a real character, someone I shall certainly never forget). These are just a small handful of the things I have done with my time in Khung-Thanod and if you come I am sure you will have just as memorable experiences.
I have chosen to extend my stay here at the DLCCC in Khung-Thanod from 4 weeks to ten weeks. This means i will have to book a new flight ticket and get a new visa but it is something that i very much want to do. Also, i am lucky that my Boss back in Wales is very supportive and is allowing me to keep my job when i do go home (at the end of my visit to Thailand I will have been here for 14 weeks).
Again, I would change nothing about my experience in Thailand and would recommend this to anyone wanting a very different experience from a holiday.
Choke Dee Mahk Mahk!
by Dean Marriott, uk
Week 1: Sunday 10th of may - Saterday 16th of may
Sunday morning Arnon picked me op at my hotel were I was staying. The hotel was in North Pattaya: Riviera Resort, I really recommend it to anyone who likes a nice hotel with swimming pool in a quite area.
Since I was the only volunteer I had the chose between two camps: Thai-thong camp, near jomtien beach en Thappraya camp about 30 minutes outside Pattaya. After seeing both camps I decided to stay the first 3 weeks in Thappraya camp, and the last 3 weeks in Thait-thong camp.
The surrounding of Thappraya camp is beautiful! The huts and the bathroom (Thai toilet and shower) are very basic, but very clean. After only 1 night sleeping in the camp I was used to my bed, toilet and shower.
The days start with cleaning the place of your elephant, but most days Lek (my mahout) already did it so I only gif my elephant (Wasena) some pineapple leaves. After that I have breakfast and then training with the elephant. It are amazing creatures. The first day I learned the commando's and went for a walk with Wasena and bananas to make friends with her. The next morning I give her a shower, with is great fun. And after the shower we went for a walk again. I train two times a day with Wasena, in the morning and in the afternoon. The rest of the time I just relaxed, watch the elephants or go some ware with Ao.
On day 3 Lek showed me how to climb on Wasena, when he did it, it seems really easy. But it's not! When I finally get on, it was great! It's really amazing that such a big creature listens to some one on top of her! We went for a little walk with ended with me getting of her. Did is also not very simple, but I discovered later that getting on en off your elephant is much easier barefoot.
Day 4 we went for a long trip, about 2 hours in the surrounding area. I was on Wasena and Lek and Ao were walking. We went to a beautiful spot with a little waterfall and on the way back we stopped by a small lake. I get of and Wasena went in the water to take a nice shower.
On day 5 I trained with Wasena 2 times and in the afternoon I went with Lek and the mahout of another elephant to let them graze for a little bit. They sad I had to try clime on Supap (the other elephant) so I did. She is about 50 cm bigger than Wasena, so when I was sitting there Wasena seems really small.
Saturday Arnon picked me up an we went to jomtien beach, were I booked a hotel to stay for the weekend.
By Nicole , Netherlands
Well, what an amazing adventure! Yesterday, I finished my week of volunteering at my elephant camp not far out of Pattaya and I'm still very sad that I had to leave.
I arrived at the camp last Monday after having come from a trip with some friends to Vietnam and Cambodia. They had gone home already, so not only was I by myself, I was the only volunteer at the camp for that particular week. But none of that mattered…
I was given a beautiful elephant called Rampai. She is a 37yr old girl with a lot of attitude. Things were quite strange and new with her in the beginning, but with each day, I got to know her better and it became easier to control her. The first day, I was just using Thai words to make her follow me, turn and stop. I was leading her around the forest area and also to the area where they wash the elephants. On the second day, I made my first attempt at climbing onto her. I am a terrible climber, very inflexible, with not a lot of strength, so I knew this was going to be a challenge! It was a very embarrassing experience as I struggled to climb onto her neck. Of course the other Mahouts and tourists were laughing as Arnon and my Mahout had their hands firmly planted on my butt trying to hoist me up. I think Rampai was secretly laughing too! Needless to say, I did not feel very graceful!
Leading her around was a challenge in the beginning. By kicking the back of her ears, you can make her go forward, turn and stop, all the while still saying the Thai commands. Every time I was with Rampai, I was supervised by Arnon or my Mahout, which made it much easier if she decided she wanted to wander off the path and grab some extra food, which was quite a regular occurrence. But each day got a bit easier and I perfected the technique a little more. The other Mahouts were quick to give me tips and encouraged me as I rode Rampai around the camp with the occasional thumbs up.
I also really got into the Mahout experience by choosing to stay for the week in one of the bamboo huts. I had never experienced anything like that before (other than the occasional camping trip). But the owner of the camp was so hospitable and made sure I was very comfortable with a bed, mosquito net, table, chair, cupboard, TV and DVD player (as well as a stack of DVDs). I feel that staying at the camp really added to my experience, as I got to know the Mahouts and their families much better. Most nights I had dinner with them, watched TV with them or played with the kids. I've come to realize how kind and generous the Thai people are. Every night I had at least 2 dinner invitations! They really are a nation that says "no problems" and actually means it!
During the day, it got quite hot so I did things around the area like going to the local Chinese Temple which has some of the Terracotta Warriors. I also visited the Long Necked Karen community. They were people that I had only ever read about and seen pictures of. It was quite amazing to see them in real life and to see the beautiful things they make. We went to the beach for a few afternoons. It was beautiful to sit by the water, under an umbrella and read a book or paddle in the water. Very relaxing! And some days, I just hung around the camp and talked with people or watched DVDs.
As with most volunteers, it was very hard to leave. I got very upset at the thought of leaving the camp, Rampai and the Mahout families. They had given so much to me and really contributed to the wonderful time that I've had in Thailand. We had the goodbye ceremony with the pigs head and whisky to wish me a safe journey and not long after that, my experience was turned into a beautiful memory.
I really hope to be back again soon and work with the elephants again. It's just such a different type of holiday which not only enriches your life, but helps others. By doing this type of volunteering, you get to know the real experience Thailand, not just the tourist Thailand. I have felt so welcomed by everyone and hope to see them all again soon!
Megan Hicks, Australia
Today was our fourth and last day at the elephant mahout project. We arrived at the camp in the morning and helped the mahouts release frogs and fish into the pond for the mahouts to raise. After that we all gathered together for a ceremony that the mahouts held for us to thank us for our time and to wish us luck in the future. It was very emotional and very moving. I did not realize how much that this experience would affect me and how much I loved working with my mahout and my elephant. My mahout was L.T. and his elephant is PoomPui 2. They make a great pair. It is amazing how they communicate with each other and how mahout was able to share that with me and to teach me how to talk to PoomPui. I was able to talk to PoomPui and ride on top of her and speak to her in Thai. I spoke words that her mahout uses to tell her where we are going walking, whether it is through the woods or to the water for a bath. It felt so amazing to be riding on top of her and to speak to her, it was unreal. It had to be the best feeling ever!!! After we walked around with PoomPui and gave her a bath, all the mahouts and volunteers sat together and talked and taught each other words and sang Thai songs. The end of the day came very fast and a lot of tears were shed!! We have spent four days with our elephants and mahouts and it is amazing how close I felt to them, I did not want to leave.
JennaLee Burke, Cannada
When we arrived in Thailand we were rather jet-lagged, this has been the first long-haul flight for either of us! The temperature came as a bit of a shock too – we knew it would be hot, but our native Edinburgh never ever approaches 36’C!
Miriam’s elephant has been Dak-koon, a 35 year old lady full of character. She is best known for stealing her best friend’s food, and getting very grumpy if anyone is walking behind her! Anna’s elephant has been Chan-dee, the old lady of the group at over 90 years old! She is almost totally blind, and a bit deaf, but she is totally adorable! She goes at a very slow speed, but will always look after you!
The first day mounting and dismounting is very scary – but there are plenty of people around to push you on and catch you when you fall off, laughing along with you the whole time. You learn to control the elephants first by walking with them so they are familiar with your voice; then sitting on their neck and kicking their ears, with the mahout walking in front of you explaining what to do; and finally from the basket (sitting “like a princess” as all the Thais will say to you). There is no better view of the stunning scenery than from the back of an elephant; and no more comfortable place to fall asleep than in the basket on top of your elephant!
Our favourite night of the week is a Wednesday, when you are invited to stay at the camp. This gives you a real chance to get to know your mahouts, and experience the true peacefulness of a mahout village. The huts and “shower” (bucket of water) are very basic, and may seem daunting at first, but it really is an unforgettable experience and the mosquito nets are very effective! You will also get to take your elephant into the forest on the Wednesday evening, and in the morning (a 5:30AM start!) you will collect them and take them to the lake for a thorough wash. This trip to the lake has been one of our most treasured memories – it really shows off the skills of the mahouts.
While you are here the Coordinators will impress upon you the importance of seeing all aspects of Thai culture. If you get a chance, you really should try and go on a few trips out – usually organized by Mrs Noi. We managed to get to Ocean World where we swam with dolphins; have a trip to the Floating market and a Buddhist temple; and take a boat out to the islands where we fished for our supper and swam in beautiful clear water!
Finally, what really makes this experience special is the people you share it with. For our first two weeks we were the only volunteers, and were then joined by two others who have added to the fun. The mahouts are very accommodating, and enjoy having volunteers to work with. You will be a constant source of mirth to the whole camp, and it is important to take the laughs and teasing with a smile. Being here shows that language is not so big a barrier, and you will have plenty of laughs with the mahouts. They will entertain you by showing you how to make pineapple-leaf crickets, help to teach you some Thai (although beware: sometimes they will tell you something rude as a joke!), cook you some Thai delicacies, and learn the incredible “elephant song” (best demonstrated by Oh, one of the Coordinators). The coordinators are all brilliant in their own special way. Arnon (Project Director) is full of energy and fun, and will constantly have jobs to keep you busy and entertained. He is also really passionate about conservation, and will explain to you the history of the camp. He will also entertain you with “cinema Arnon” (a DVD player and a few pirate DVDs), and regale you with his singing and guitar playing. Oh (Arnon’s brother) is an excellent photographer, and can often be spotted in the bushes waiting for that “perfect picture”. He will also always take care of you, best known for stopping oncoming traffic for little old ladies and timid volunteers. Gof is a master chef, and will cook the most delicious meals for you when you are here. He will be the first one to laugh at you when you do something stupid (like fall in elephant wee – Anna), but also the first one to pick you up out of whatever mess you’re in. Mrs Noi (team staff ) works in the office, and can get you a good deal on laundry. She will constantly shower you with complements, and will organize fantastic day trips for you at the weekend. Sam is an ex-volunteer staff from England who is now working on a voluntary basis. She has helped enormously to bridge the gap between Thais and volunteers, and can always think of something to help pass the time (beware, she is a mean card shark!). She has also done lots of sight-seeing here, so can tell you where is worth a visit.
Everyone has been very kind to us here, and every day has been a new memorable experience. There are very few places where you can stay in such high standard accommodation, work closely with the animals, and really get to know some local people. We have thoroughly enjoyed every day here, and can’t recommend it too highly! You will definitely come away with memories to last a lifetime, and can feel proud that your presence here has helped in the conservation of some very special creatures.
Miriam and Anna, 2nd year students from Edinburgh University
Hi my name is Jillian (Princess Tulian)and i'm from Scotland. i'm working at the Elephant Mahout Project for 3 weeks and i'm just into my 2nd week. This is a little bit about what i've been up to so far...
The first day was a bit scary as i was the only volunteer but i went to the camp and the Pa-Kam ceremony was performed to keep me safe when working with the elepahnts. this will be performed again at the end of my stay. also watching over the camp is a 130 m budha carved into the mountian in Gold! (very impressive sight and very impressive it's still there - wouldn't last long in the UK!). After the ceremony i met my elephant and mahout - my elephant is called Dacoon, she is 35 years old and a complete sweetheart - any suggestions on how to fit her in my suitcase should be sent on a postcard. the frist day was spent getting used to each other and getting Dacoon to following me on command while i walked in front of her. Aparantly i have a strong (loud) voice and Dacoon responds well. the second day i learnt to ride Dacoon whilst sitting on her neck and holding on very tighly to the basket. this meant a whole new set of commands that i had to learn. i also managed to let go a couple of times but quickly grabbed on again. The Mahout was sitting behind me on the basket and was very reassuring. the 3rd day was spent doing more riding on Dacoon but much longer trails which included steep hills which neither Dacoon or i liked very much but we got through it together. the next day i was riding without the basket which is flippin scary but Dacoon is great and makes me feel very safe. it also meant that i was on my own on the back of Dacoon but the Mahout was walking in front most of the time. as i was getting quite good i was able to take Dacoon round the camp myself to show i had good control of her, my Mahout is very impressed with my strong voice:-) and says i'm a natural mahout. on the Friday i leant how to sit in the basket on my own and control Dacoon in yet another way. the best bit about friday was that me and the other volunteer that arrived on my 2nd day, were invited to spend the night at the camp. The camp is a traditional Mahout village and very basic (no air conditioning!) but it was an experiance i would have been crazy (Ting Tong)to miss out on. at 6pm that evening my Mahout and i took Dacoon to the forest where she spends the night. this was one of the most amazing experiance of my life and i can't put into words how special it was. when we all got back to the camp we cracked open a few beer changs (well when in Thailand and all that), danced and generally had a good time until i crawled into my Mahout hut at 10. i slept better than i thought and woke up at 5 with the cockrels and was up with the camp at 6. what a way to end my first week.
Now at the begining of my second week i am consolidating my skills and learning more thai (although i think i'm meant to be teaching english to the children they seem to be teaching me!)
All the Mahouts and the children at the camp are so nice and welcoming it has been making my time here even more special.
just before i go i must explain that Princess Tulian was a nick name given to me by the lady who sell the bananas for the elephants. it was never meant in a bad way as the thai people are not like that. i now answer to princess and i'm even introduced as Princess Tulian - think i'm getting to like it;-)
Anyhoo that's all for now, more later...
Well today is the fianl day of Songkran and after lunch and a huge storm we headed back to the apartments. lucky the driver of the flat bed truck we were in slowed down everytime there were kids at the side of the road so they could soak us in water. by the time we got near to the town there were cars and trucks everywhere all with water throwing equipment and we were getting soaked and covered in a chalk and water mixture. as soon as they saw the white skin we were a prime target. once we got back we were so wet we continued the party down to the beach. now for those of you who know, in scotland we celebrate our new year in a big way and there is a huge party on Princes Street in Edinburgh and simialar parties in every city and town across Scotland - Songkran is BIGGER! it's on every street, every road and it lasts a week with the final day being the biggest, wettest party of them all. i've never seen anything like it and it's just a shame i couldn't take any pictures for people to see the scale of it.
Well it's my last week and second last day and i'll be sad to leave, espcailly Dacoon who is such a lovely gentle elephant. i had no idea how close i would get to her and i'll really miss her and all the other elephants and mahouts at the camp. Everyone at fovever has been very good to us and are always looking after us. i would espcially like to thank Wi Lai, my Mahout and Sumli (his Wife) for the massages. my thanks also go to all the guys on work experiance who have done a great job in translating what is being said at the camp - i've really felt i've gotten to know everyone. Finally i would like to thank Annon and the others at the studios who have also supported our stay. the memories of the last 3 weeks will stay with me forever - pun intended!
Jillian UK
I had an absolutely fantastic time at the camp! Everybody has really made me feel part of the family. The Mahouts cannot do enough to help you and are so eager to learn from you as much as you are from them!
My first day was a bit of a dream, I couldn't believe I was stood touching an elephant, let alone feeding and washing it!
By day two I was climbing up Docoons' leg onto her Neck in true Mahout style! Its not until you are sat on top of one that you appreciate how big they are!
They may be big and bulky creatures but they are surprisingly graceful with such individual personalities. One elephant I thought would look much like another but it's amazing how fast you can learn the difference.
My Elephant was called Docoon!.. A 37-year-old elephant, which was rescued from the Tsunami. One of her back legs in shorter than the other which she has had from birth so she walks with a limp. She is Pregnant to! She's only 3 months gone, and only another 19 months to go.. maybe by the time its born I'll be able to afford to come back and visit.
Each day consisted of early mornings cleaning up Docoons area, feeding her pineapple leaves and showering her to keep her cool!
In between taking care of her, her Mahout (also known as Docoon) taught me all about her and helped me train her to follow my lead, turn and go backwards. He also told me all about his family life.
I helped him take her to the forest in the evening to sleep, after which the parties started.
We sometimes ate with the mahouts in their little wooden huts and taught them English. Teaching another Mahout - the song 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes' was definitely a high light! Other evenings we headed to the beach for some serious beer drinking!
All in all it was an absolutely fantastic week! I've been traveling for a year all around the world, and this was definitely the best bit! So much so infact that I ended up staying at the project for the last month of my trip and helping raise more funds for the project.
I would recommend it to anyone!
by Eliane UK
So Im going to try and keep this short and sweet! And I suppose Ill start with Low Tong- now that elephant has style and attitude and definitely deserves some kind of elephant ASBO. But I loved her! I worked with her and her dedicated Mahout, PJohn for two weeks and they were FANTASTIC! And before you ask, no shes not pregnant, shes just a large lady. I never realised how much character the elephants would have they all had their own personality, likes and dislikes. Thats what was so great about the camp it wasnt about learning how to control your elephant, it was about understanding your elephant and getting to know them. For me, that was the best part - I like to think me and Low Tong became good friends, or at least, she warmed to me as time went on. I think one of my best moments for me was on the third or fourth day, when I was walking past her and she recognised me and waved hello. It was like So you do know who I am!.
The Camp itself is also fantastic. Even on my first day I got a massive impression that the camp is a special place everyone there has a real passion for their dream- that the camp wont be like every other elephant camp in Thailand, but will focus on giving the elephants a happy and well cared for life. But I was equally aware that it was a dream theyre still working towards, and how important volunteers were. And thats how I was made to feel important - I felt like I was contributing. I painted a sign, helped sell bananas and welcomed English speaking tourists to the camp. And in return the Mahouts treated me like family! And it was so great feeling helpful, because everyone was so eager to all work together to keep the camp going.
As for actually working with Low Tong well, thats something Im definitely putting on my CV! It was incredible even starting with basic commands like Come was amazing, because youd turn around and this elephant would be following you and listening to your commands! It was pretty surreal. Shower time was equally as fun I know she enjoyed that because she would wag her tail. Then there was learning to climb and ride Low Tong bareback. That was fantastic the first couple of times I was somewhat inelegant in my clamber up her side, which the Mahouts found hilarious, but I soon got the hang of it and she would help me out by giving me a leg up. Actually riding her is beyond description needless to say its the only way to travel! Plus I got to write in postcards today I parked an elephant.
And the most fantastic thing was seeing my own and everyone elses improvement. After two weeks it all seemed so easy! I had a fantastic teacher, PJohn, and I was very proud the day he announced Low Tongs mahout, pointed at me, and left me to it. All of a sudden I was no longer a trainee, no longer in need of supervision and was given some students of my own to teach!
Overall, it was one of the best experiences Ive ever had. I made so many good friends and learnt so much. Ive never felt so at home somewhere. All the Mahouts were so welcoming and even I, a humble English Student, managed to complete my training and become a fully fledged Mahout, complete with hat that makes me look like crocodile dundee! I only hope that one day, me and my hat can return!!!
Steff Rae UK
Bangkok, 13 /09/2005
Being on a one year sabbatical, I was looking for unsual quality time to get some new ideas for the future. And as I love animals I also searched the internet for elephant-entries and found ecoexplorer thailand. Not knowing anybody that had been there before, I was a bit sceptical but booked nonetheless. And fortunately it may well prove to have been the highlight of my entire sabbatical.
I appreciated the very familiar atmosphere at the elephant camp (Mahouts and other staff) and at Green Jomtien (Ecoexplorer). The frequent contact to so many locals really made a difference. And everybody was very motivated and open to share their knowledge. I also appreciated that the project was taking into consideration the individual volunteers for the choice of elephant and the training program. With Tongkam I had an excellent elephant and with Gret an excellent mahout. Tongkam and I built up sufficient trust to go quite far in the 3 weeks I was there. The final highlights towards the end were taking tourists and also crossing Thepprasit Road for the night stay without Gret interfering. Tongkam and I managed all alone!
Furthermore, I also thoroughly enjoyed taking care of many other animals other than elephants: horses and dogs at the camp, dogs (Oscar, Leap etc.), cats and guinea pigs at Green Jomtien. For the animals and for me a paradise. At this point thanks a lot to ecoexplorer for all you do for the animals. It is very rare to find people like you who care about living creatures more than about money!
The 3 weeks were hard work. I had to use quite a few untrained muscles (cutting pineapple, chain handling etc.) that responded by complaining violently. But I haven't enjoyed myself so much in a long time. I cannot thank everybody enough for this marvellous time. And I would very much like to return one day with my family. It will be very interesting to see, how much of the new bonds between Tongkam and myself will still be there.
Thanks for a wonderful time way beyond expectations!
By Chris
