Thailand Discovery Pages - Taking a Thai elephant safari

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Taking a Thai elephant safari

At one time, elephants flourished throughout Thailand, not only were they used as beasts of burden; hauling logs and clearing forests, but they were also used to help the Siamese win many historic battles. However, with war being far from the modern Thai's mind and increased conservation of the forests reducing the amount of work available, the continued success of elephants in Thailand was in danger. In order to halt their population decline, the Mahouts (elephant keepers) turned to "jumbo tourism". Now, instead of carrying logs, elephants carry tourists, play football, pose for photos and even paint pictures!

Elephan Safari on Koh Chang, island in the Thai Gulf

During your first up and close encounter with an elephant you may be surprised to discover that they are not actually grey but a mottled combination of grey and pink. (Maybe if you drink a lot of Chang Beer (elephant beer), the elephants will turn pink?) There are white elephants too, but in Thailand they are considered sacred to the King (so unless you are a guest of the Thai Royal family you won't be seeing one).

White elephants have been revered in Buddhism since the eve of the Lord Buddha’s birth, when his mother dreamed that a white elephant gave her a lotus blossom (a symbol of purity and wisdom). Therefore, in Buddhist Thailand a white elephant is seen as a symbol of good luck and for a Thai king to own one blesses the Kingdom with peace and prosperity.

A ride on an elephant is not only a wonderful way to see the spectacular scenery of the Thai countryside, but it is also a fantastic opportunity to get really up close and personal with these amazing beasts.

Taking an elephant ride can be a fun if not slightly tricky affair. Despite weighing up to the equivalent of 60 men, an elephant’s skin is as sensitive as a human’s; they can feel a fly landing on their back, so be gentle with them. Elephants drink around 200 liters of water every day and they love to play in water. When you are on the back of an elephant be prepared to get wet, as an elephant loves nothing more than spraying everyone with jets of muddy liquid.

Once on board, you will find yourself perched, what feels dangerously high, on the back of this magnificent animal, precariously balanced behind a pair of enormous, wrinkly ears. From here, you will have an amazing view of the surrounding scenery, but you will also discover that your elephant’s huge head is covered in tiny little hairs, sticking up like the stubble on an old man’s chin. And, as the elephant takes its first steps you will feel as if the ground has just shifted beneath you. The saddle may be uncomfortable and feel like it is slipping, but rest assured, you will get used to the rolling movement. Just hang on and enjoy the ride!

Christopher Snyder is the founder and Managing Director of Asia Products LLC and currently is living in Bangkok, Thailand. Christopher writes on a variety of topics and manages an e-commerce store http://www.asiaproductsllc.com.