Elephant island meets Elephant Nature Park
Chiang Mai – The villagers of Baan Pai Noi and Baan Pai Yai have come to Chiang Mai for the second eye opener trip. The trip is meant to be get inspired. Together we want to improve the project of the elephant island, and create a more united goal. Twenty villagers are joining us this time, the mahouts, and two employees of our partner organization PDA.
On the first day we have plenty of time to explore the Elephant Nature Park. On arrival at the park, everyone is excited about all the elephants roaming around freely. The guide explains the concept of the ENP, and why this appeals to so many people. In the shop everyone examines all the details. The woodcarvings of the mahouts from the park, for example. The mahouts from the elephant island intently try to see if they can do this themselves. The villagers check out the picture postcards, elephant wallets, photographs, T-shirts… in fact they could make these things themselves. Hopefully, many new ideas have seen the light, and many of the villagers will take up the initiative to make and sell something similar. Possibly supported with micro financing from the village bank.
The villagers join the washing of the elephants with enthusiasm, and then go into the fields with Lek. Out there the little elephant Thong Tae runs after everything that moves. When the group arrives, he tries to impress them. The villagers really want to have their pictures taken with Lek and the elephants, so everyone defies the fear for the little wildly running elephant. The mahout immediately takes care of Thong Tae. By the time he has finally subdued him, he is practically draped around the elephant’s neck. ‘Can’t you take him to the elephant island?’ he asks. Moving an elephant from the ENP is of course out of the question, but a young elephant on the island… that could be a lovely idea for the future.
In the ‘elephant kitchen’ everyone is impressed be the numbers and diversity of the food for the elephants. Next to all the fruit, there are medicinal herbs. We take a tour to the cabins for the volunteers and the guests. Those could just as easily be built on the elephant island; they look very natural and are relatively cheap to make. With just a few simple decorations the cabins can be a very attractive place to spend the night.
All the villagers are in love with Chang Yim, Dok Ngeon’s baby. He runs around cheerfully with Faa Mai, goes into the water, and investigates other elephant families. Off course with plenty of drama as a consequence. It is not hard to understand why this natural behavior attracts so many people. Even the villagers, who have elephants themselves, look on open-mouthed. An elephant show is unnecessary. Lek speaks to the group, and Pom shows how Chang Yim is being trained with play and reward. After that, people just go and check out everything that is going on at the park.
At the end of the afternoon we take the minibus to Mae Ngat reservoir. We sail by longtail boat to a floating guesthouse, to get some inspiration for the elephant island. Maybe in the future, we will have some floating bamboo cabins as well, for people to be able to spend the night close to the elephants. All in all, a long day with lots of impressions. After arrival, everyone immediately jumps into the clear water, and has a great time.
The next day, after an early breakfast, we take the boat, and later on the minibuses, to the elephant manure paper project in Mae Rim. Here the villagers will learn how to make paper and elephant merchandise themselves. Actually, it is quite simple and fairly cheap to start it up. At the shop, many baskets are filled, for inspiration or just as souvenirs for the villagers who couldn’t come.
We drive up the mountain of Doi Suthep to visit the tree nursery of FORRU. Here the villagers follow a short workshop nursery management and reforestation. Some of the villagers have already received the full course from BtEH-employee Tik. It is especially important to show what a simple but professional nursery looks like. And to emphasize how important it is to take good care of the planted trees. The villagers will work with this during the next few months. After the training we take a walk through Doi Suthep National park, where many of the seedlings from the nursery can be found as fully grown trees.
The final part of the programme is to experience a homestay for themselves Most of the villagers have already received visitors in their homes, but are still quite insecure. The homestay project we visit has existed for five years, has won awards, and has many visitors every week. Here the villagers can find ideas to make their own homestay even better. After a long trip through the mountains, we arrive at the village at the end of the afternoon. Everyone ‘checks in’ with the homestay houses, and has a meal ‘at home’.
The next morning we have a conversation with the village elder about the management of their homestay, and exchange ideas. All of the practical tips are taken down on paper. This homestay might be very experienced, but maybe ‘our’ homestay is very homelike, and really quite professional. It is good to see we are doing very well together. No doubt, the villagers are more confident after this experience. Everyone is looking forward to receiving another group in their village. One more walk to the coffee plantations and a waterfall, and then this eye opener trip is done. Very useful to the project!
Tour through the elephant kitchen.
Mahout Noi of Sri Prae checks if he can copy this.
Idea for the mahout hut on the island.
Presentation by Lek.
Elephant dung after the proces: washing, boiling with soda and bleeching. Color is added, spread over mesh frame, dry in the sun…. and you got elephant dung paper.
Making merchandising of elephant dung paper.
Nursery training at Forru (Chiang Mai University)
Homestay brainstorm.
