Thai Elephant Adoption

[SandDragon]

Does anyone have any experience/information about the options for adopting a Thai elephant, ie not physically taking delivery of the creature but organisations which offer elephant adoptions as part of their fund raising activities for worthwhile (and legitimate) Thai elephant projects.

Trawling the net indicates two possibilities: the National Elephant Institute and the Friends of the Asian Elephant. The NEI offers adoptions at Bt 30,000 p.a. for the first 4 years and Bt 60,000 p.a. thereafter (which makes me think that maybe I only want to adopt part of an elephant). The FAE has memberships at Bt 300/1,000 p.a.

Of the more generic 'animal adoption' websites; they seem to concentrate on African elephants or do not give sufficient information to assure me that the money goes anywhere near helping an elephant (one advertises itself as not for profit and that 50% of donations goes to their projects......and the other 50%?).

There are also programmes run by local zoos in my home country but I was attracted to the idea of the financial aid going closer to the source.

Any suggestions would be welcomed.

[bina]

check this thread out in the news forum, about elephants moved to australian zoo and someone's response: maybe this could fit you?

****

johpa

post #8 Yesterday, 2005-05-08 23:52:25

Seeing as there is little work for elephants in Thailand I would expect to see more elephants be "exported." As an elephant owner I know it is becoming increasingly difficult to find employment for them. And what do you so with an unemployed elephant? What you do is continue to pay a kwan chang and hope to find an area that has enough space for the elephant to roam and feed without trampling some farmers field which will require even more funds for compensation.

When I first bought the elephant nearly 20 years ago as part of the wedding package (and you folks complain about gold purchased as part of the dowery) most elephants were independently owned. But now many of the elephants are owned by the big elephant camp owners. This is not all bad as the largest owner (and others) is a great guy who really cares about the future of the elephants in Thailand. But it is no longer economical for these people to rent elephants form independent owners. So once they reach a certain number there is no need to expand and there is no work for those elephants owned by independents or small owners. The fate and care of these beasts is probelematic. We are looking to sell our elephant and baby as we see no future for the animals unless they are sent to one of the larger well funded pang changs. Needless to say, it is a buyers market.

Thailand has too many elephants and there should be no complaints "exporting" them to good institutions around the world.k in out...

johpa this is your chance, go for it....

Edited May 8, 2005 by bina

[Neeranam]

Trawling the net indicates two possibilities: the National Elephant Institute and the Friends of the Asian Elephant. The NEI offers adoptions at Bt 30,000 p.a. for the first 4 years and Bt 60,000 p.a. thereafter (which makes me think that maybe I only want to adopt part of an elephant). The FAE has memberships at Bt 300/1,000 p.a.

I thought of adopting an elephant too.

Like you, it could only be part of an animal.

Do they give you photographs and stories about the elephant like I know they do for Kenyan ones?

I would rather adopt one that lives nearby. Maybe the best thing is to do is ask the next guy I see with an elephant if I can give him a few hundred baht if he takes his elephant off the streets.

How much does it cost to look after an elephant?

[maerim]

which makes me think that maybe I only want to adopt part of an elephant

Try not adopt the part that eats or the other end but something a bit less expensive and messy.

[chownah]

which makes me think that maybe I only want to adopt part of an elephant

Try not adopt the part that eats or the other end but something a bit less expensive and messy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Since I'm an organic gardener/farmer I'd love to get the other end!!!!!

[Toni]

Does anyone have any experience/information about the options for adopting a Thai elephant, ie not physically taking delivery of the creature but organisations which offer elephant adoptions as part of their fund raising activities for worthwhile (and legitimate) Thai elephant projects.

Trawling the net indicates two possibilities: the National Elephant Institute and the Friends of the Asian Elephant. The NEI offers adoptions at Bt 30,000 p.a. for the first 4 years and Bt 60,000 p.a. thereafter (which makes me think that maybe I only want to adopt part of an elephant). The FAE has memberships at Bt 300/1,000 p.a.

Of the more generic 'animal adoption' websites; they seem to concentrate on African elephants or do not give sufficient information to assure me that the money goes anywhere near helping an elephant (one advertises itself as not for profit and that 50% of donations goes to their projects......and the other 50%?).

There are also programmes run by local zoos in my home country but I was attracted to the idea of the financial aid going closer to the source.

Any suggestions would be welcomed.

http://www.bring-the-elephant-home.nl/engindex.htm

[skylar]

I seriously doubt that even if you adopted the whole elephant, you would be the only person adopting it.

[Kerryd]

(one advertises itself as not for profit and that 50% of donations goes to their projects......and the other 50%?).

"Not for Profit" means they aren't trying to "make" money with their venture.

The other 50% that doesn't go to their projects goes to things like administration costs (office rental, salaries of the top people, travel to exotic places, hotels, meals and so on).

I think it was Oxfam that got into hot water a few years ago. They advertised that for just a dollar a day, you could feed a child in Africa.

Turns out that almost 98 cents from every dollar they collected went towards "administrative" costs, and the other 2 cents went towards actually feeding the starving kids

You see a lot of "not for profit" charity groups starting up. They get tax breaks for being a not-for-profit charity, and may even be eligible for grants.

Some of those groups advertise that they are looking for volunteers to work for their organizations, while the top members are getting paid good salaries from the donations and grants they recieve.

There are a few honest groups out there, but there are getting to be even more of these shyster groups that are nothing but covers for people that don't want to work for a living.

[VTR1000]

The Thailand Elephant Conservation Project just north of Lampang has adoption schemes for elephants. I don't really know all the details but it might be worth giving them a visit. They do have a website but it wasn't finished last time I looked. A great project it is too.

http://www.thailandelephant.org

Edited March 22, 2006 by VTR1000

[bbigman21]

What about if you wanted to buy the whole elaphant. I mean take delivery. Could a Farang even own a elaphant in Thailand?

[Totster]

What about if you wanted to buy the whole elaphant. I mean take delivery. Could a Farang even own a elaphant in Thailand?

Hmm.. i owned three *chang* about an hour ago.. now it's down to 1/2

totster

[Misplaced]

The Thailand Elephant Conservation Project just north of Lampang has adoption schemes for elephants. I don't really know all the details but it might be worth giving them a visit. They do have a website but it wasn't finished last time I looked. A great project it is too.

http://www.thailandelephant.org

I believe there's a Thai elephant hospital in Lampang. It's a non-profit organization...I think this is the hospital which took care of the elephant name "motala" and its' mahoot when he stpped on the landmind during logging

I will be going there myself in a month or so.

[Jeff1]

What about if you wanted to buy the whole elaphant. I mean take delivery. Could a Farang even own a elaphant in Thailand?

Hmm.. i owned three *chang* about an hour ago.. now it's down to 1/2

totster

You could always adapt me , I drink like an elephant.

[skylar]

(one advertises itself as not for profit and that 50% of donations goes to their projects......and the other 50%?).

"Not for Profit" means they aren't trying to "make" money with their venture.

The other 50% that doesn't go to their projects goes to things like administration costs (office rental, salaries of the top people, travel to exotic places, hotels, meals and so on).

I think it was Oxfam that got into hot water a few years ago. They advertised that for just a dollar a day, you could feed a child in Africa.

Turns out that almost 98 cents from every dollar they collected went towards "administrative" costs, and the other 2 cents went towards actually feeding the starving kids

That doesn't sound like Oxfam to me. I used to be extremely cynical of NFPs, but the reality is that without offering decent salaries, these organisations wouldn't be able to hire the best people. Project management within a timeframe and a budget really is an art and is not something many people have the skills to do effectively. At the same time, funds have to be spent wisely to its best potential. Here's an article from The Age, giving some information about admin expenditure: The Age - Ten-year wait for tsunami aid

Someone I know recounted an incident that took place on board a flight where an NFP executive was flying first class. The air steward approached said person and gave him a gentle piece of his mind about the conflict between the NFP's mission and the price the executive's organisation paid for the seat. There was an uproar within the airline's management, the employee was admonished for expressing their personal views while on the job, and the NFP no longer booked any first class flights (although I don't know if they did so with another airline).

[jdinasia]

in many places .... ok change that .... in the US ... "not for profit" and "non profit" are 2 different things. The good places are non-profit ... the shady places are not-for-profit.

There are of course exceptions to this ... often Symphonies etc are not-for-profit ... the goal is to spend all they get.

So ... back on topic ....adopt an elephant? Try an animal rescue center in Thailand ... any animals ... or if you really care ... save some forest here!`

[sierra01]

The Thailand Elephant Conservation Project just north of Lampang has adoption schemes for elephants. I don't really know all the details but it might be worth giving them a visit. They do have a website but it wasn't finished last time I looked. A great project it is too.

http://www.thailandelephant.org

I believe there's a Thai elephant hospital in Lampang. It's a non-profit organization...I think this is the hospital which took care of the elephant name "motala" and its' mahoot when he stpped on the landmind during logging

I will be going there myself in a month or so.

The elephant hospital in Lampang does a very good job, I've been there a few times now. Not sure if it's stil there but they had an elephant that had it's entire trunk cut off due to an accident, it has to be hand fed all the time now.

The show is well worth a look see too, elephants painting, playing music, working together, really good, and you get to feed them at the end.

[sierra01]

And that was my one thousandth post!

[Misplaced]

And that was my one thousandth post!

Congratulation on your 1002 posts ... It'll take me a long time to get that much

not sure if I can take seeing an elephant with its trunk cut-off.. I'm defitnitely a big woose when it comes to animal and some human too

I have family in Lampang and can't wait to see them.. Its been about 10 years.hurrrr

so the elephant hospital will be one of my goal to see. Hope its as good as everyone says it is.

Edited March 23, 2006 by Misplaced

[Johpa]

What about if you wanted to buy the whole elaphant. I mean take delivery. Could a Farang even own a elaphant in Thailand?

I am not sure if there is law preventing a non-Thai from owning an elephant, but when ones purchases an elephant, the ownership is registered, just as a car would be registered. So methinks it would be rather difficult to gain legal possesion in the name of any foreigner.

By the way, we did sell our elephant and little dumbo last year, title deed having always being in the name of me spouse, to Pho Liang at the Mae Sa elephant camp.

[bbigman21]

What about if you wanted to buy the whole elaphant. I mean take delivery. Could a Farang even own a elaphant in Thailand?

I am not sure if there is law preventing a non-Thai from owning an elephant, but when ones purchases an elephant, the ownership is registered, just as a car would be registered. So methinks it would be rather difficult to gain legal possesion in the name of any foreigner.

By the way, we did sell our elephant and little dumbo last year, title deed having always being in the name of me spouse, to Pho Liang at the Mae Sa elephant camp.

Really! How long did you own the elephant? Did it have a good personality? Why did you sell it?

[bbigman21]

What about if you wanted to buy the whole elaphant. I mean take delivery. Could a Farang even own a elaphant in Thailand?

Hmm.. i owned three *chang* about an hour ago.. now it's down to 1/2

totster

You could always adapt me , I drink like an elephant.

Do you look like and elephant? Probably smell like one too!

[sierra01]

And that was my one thousandth post!

Congratulation on your 1002 posts ... It'll take me a long time to get that much

not sure if I can take seeing an elephant with its trunk cut-off.. I'm defitnitely a big woose when it comes to animal and some human too

I have family in Lampang and can't wait to see them.. Its been about 10 years.hurrrr

so the elephant hospital will be one of my goal to see. Hope its as good as everyone says it is.

It's not THAT bad Misplaced! The elephant seemed quite ok, and well cared for. Not sure how much the admission is now but it was only something like 50bt, and that included some small sticks of sugar cane to feed the elephants with after the show, you can also buy more (10bt). Go and enjoy!

You can also adopt an elephant there too, no idea of prices, which bits you can adopt etc though.

PS I lived 2 1/2 years in Mae Moh, 25km from Lampang, BKK now though.

Edited March 23, 2006 by sierra01

[VTR1000]

And that was my one thousandth post!

Congratulation on your 1002 posts ... It'll take me a long time to get that much

not sure if I can take seeing an elephant with its trunk cut-off.. I'm defitnitely a big woose when it comes to animal and some human too

I have family in Lampang and can't wait to see them.. Its been about 10 years.hurrrr

so the elephant hospital will be one of my goal to see. Hope its as good as everyone says it is.

It's not THAT bad Misplaced! The elephant seemed quite ok, and well cared for. Not sure how much the admission is now but it was only something like 50bt, and that included some small sticks of sugar cane to feed the elephants with after the show, you can also buy more (10bt). Go and enjoy!

You can also adopt an elephant there too, no idea of prices, which bits you can adopt etc though.

PS I lived 2 1/2 years in Mae Moh, 25km from Lampang, BKK now though.

I live in the south but was on of my biannual driving trips around Thailand. I'd heard about and seen this place on TV a few times and when going past the place decided to have a stopover there. Only B20 entry (Thai/Farang) and although it was very quiet I spent an interesting few hours there. Didn't see the elephant with no trunk but did see the one that had had it's foot blown off after stepping on a landmine. There were also elephants there that had cancer, suffered from malnourishment, had been neglected etc etc. Having said that, there also many 'happy' elephants that had been retired but still working (if you know what I mean) and it's also the place where they keep the Royal Elephants when they're not on show. Incidently, if you want to train to become a mahout, there are several different courses available ranging from one day up to 3 months. Well worth a visit!

[jdinasia]

wow .... strangely ... 3 months learning to be a Mahout would be a hoot! I may look into it

[Johpa]

What about if you wanted to buy the whole elaphant. I mean take delivery. Could a Farang even own a elaphant in Thailand?

I am not sure if there is law preventing a non-Thai from owning an elephant, but when ones purchases an elephant, the ownership is registered, just as a car would be registered. So methinks it would be rather difficult to gain legal possesion in the name of any foreigner.

By the way, we did sell our elephant and little dumbo last year, title deed having always being in the name of me spouse, to Pho Liang at the Mae Sa elephant camp.

Really! How long did you own the elephant? Did it have a good personality? Why did you sell it?

We bought the elephant, Mae Noi, when we got married back in the 1980s. I think she was about 12 or 13 at the time. I wanted to name her Lolita, but my Nabokovian reference was vetoed by the hillbillys who insisted upon a Thai name. She had a great personality and a smooth gait, the two most important characteristics for a elephant in the tourism sector. My father-in-law selected the elephant for us just as he helped to select elephants for many people up north over the decades as he was one of the last traditional (mo boraan)elephant doctors. Fortunately the elephants these days, they have access to real veterinarians although like many traditional medical folks in Thailand, he was quite effective in many cases.

As I noted in an earlier post elsewhere, there is little room for independent elephant owners these days as ownership has become somewhat concentrated by the owners of the larger elephant camps. It is no longer economical for these people to rent the beasts from others. Some of these people are concerned and responsible owners such as Pho Liang up at Mae Sa. Others are less caring. But it got to a point where it was becoming too much work for family in Thailand to deal with the business end. Elephant owners do not get much money (always tip your elephant driver at the resorts) and they still have to pay the khwan chang as well as pay for any medical attention and pay for any damages. And trust me, an elephant can cause some serious damage pretty darn quick. At one point the family owned a combination of perhaps 6 elephants. But it was one headache after another. I never made a dime on our elephant until we sold her and the baby. My father-in-law used all the income for the family, some for education and transportation, and some for his own personal needs, mostly bottles of beer to entertain himself and his old buddies. At least I never had to send money over to support the old geezer. I figured the elephant saved me the traditional $100 a month that many a Farang send to the inlaws monthly as a token of support.