Thom’s Elephant Camp is in its third generation in Pai. Meet Thom (above, middle) …
Tutdao is the super star of this camp. If you have a look at her eye-lashes, you will understand the name.
She is only 25 years old, she’s is very playful and she walks like a model.
Tutdao has a very playful and positive attitude.
She has to be the one with the most humour!
Ot is a very friendly and playful elephant, she's also stubborn. She loves to eat all the time, especially fruit. She will give you a hug if you feed her.
She will lift you up when you give her a hug around her trunk. She’s Thom’s favorite – her best friend and is 35 years old.
She loves to be loved!
At 45, Nguan [Gooan] is the oldest lady on our camp. We brought her from Nakhon Si Thamarat, where she was on a working camp.
She is very happy here with us and we are sure that she will have a better life with us.
She loves being fed bananas!
We have a 50 Rai (80,000 square meters/8 Hectares) of farmland at the riverside just outside Pai.
We have decided that in future we shall carry out our mahout training in this beautiful and undisturbed environment.
Nguan is already on the farm, bathing in luxury. She has 50 Rai of fresh fodder and is directly next to the Pai River.
We shall, one day, move all of our elephants to our farm, so that they too can take advantage of the extra space.
Geo Coordinates: 19.263518, 98.447181
Here are two videos shot at Thom's farm…
An elephant is around nine feet (2.7 m) tall and weighs about 3.5 tons (3,500 kg). Elephants are sensitive creatures but, when scared, they can also be very dangerous. It is necessary for the mahout to carry a bull hook at all times, when out with his elephant — in case of an emergency.
It is impossible to control a scared animal with your bare hands.
Mahouts at other camps may sometimes use the hook to give the animals directions, but we at Thom’s disagree with this entirely.
Thom's Elephant Camp
107 Moo 2, Maehee, Pai,
Maehongson. 58130
Mobile +66898519066
Landline +6653065778