— Thai —
Thai’s official name is Pang Keow Tong Jaan, but she was renamed Thai after she gained her freedom. She was born in a poorer agricultural region of the Issan province in northeast of Thailand and is thought to be over 60 years old. She was rescued in December 2002 and the fwere provided by Chas Begley and Rachel Jones of Eleaid, a British charity.
Thai’s life of exploitation started early. At the tender age of three, she was taken from her mother and sold to a traveling circus. Baby elephants are the star attractions and can bring in a lot of money, which can guarantee a life of excessive training and no time for a happy childhood. For the next nine years Thai would travel with a circus, performing in shows from city to city, enduring transport in cramped conditions. During these formative years, a wild elephant would be learning about life in the jungle, but Thai learned only to please an audience and how to survive under dreadful conditions.
At the age of 12, Thai was not a cute little baby elephant anymore. She was no longer a big money-maker in the circus act and was sold. The details of an elephant’s life can be vague, and not a lot is known about this period of her life, but most likely she would have started training for a career of logging. During this era, logging was still legal and the primary job and source of income for the owners of working elephants. The teak forests had not yet been depleted. For the next 30 years she probably spent her time working in the forests, until the ban on logging in 1989. After that, already middle-aged, she would have worked in the emerging trekking industry or suffered the negative side effects of being a street begging elephant. She also had jobs as an elephant for rent for ceremonies at temples, weddings or at festivals.
Thai’s life took a positive turn when she was taken to the Surin Elephant Round-up in November 2002 to be sold once again. This was when Lek, along with Chas and Rachel, first discovered her. Thai came to Elephant Nature Park already in her 50’s, but never knowing a life free from work. She is an older elephant who was lucky to get a much deserved early retirement. It took her some time to adjust, but eventually she settled in.
She has entered into the happiest stage of her life after joining Tong Jan’s family and becoming an auntie to the little baby girl. Thai’s maternal instincts kicked in and she produced milk so that Tong Jan could suckle from her breasts if she wished. Thai is comfortable with the members of her family group, which consists of Mae Bua Tong, Tong Jan, Somboon and Mae Elu, and she enjoys the company of Aura’s mom, Mae Boon and the stately 70 year old male, Max, whom she has expressed an interest in on many occasions.
To learn more about the histories and personalities of our elephants, please click on any of the links below.
— Gone But Not Forgotten —
Sadly, some elephants come to the Park not as permanent members of our herd, but only as temporary guests. We do all that we can in order to purchase them from their owners so that they never have to leave, but in some cases we are not successful. These elephants have been taken back by their owners and are sorely missed.
 Mae Boon and Aura |  Mae Elu |  Mae Toh Koh and Pupia |
 Phu Pa |
— In Loving Memory —
These beloved members of our herd have passed away, but they will live forever in our hearts and minds.
 Boon Khum (BK) |  Khum Min |  Mae Bia |
 Mae Mai |  Maximus (Max) |  RaRa |
 Ratree |
