WorldWomenWork Adventures: Thailand with Lek and Save Elephant Foundation

THAILAND with Lek and Save Elephant Foundation

January 28-February 10th 2020

On this once in a lifetime trip through the beautiful country of Thailand, we will tour Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Lampang, Hanoi and Ha Long Bay. While in Chiang Mai, we will spend two days with Lek Chailert of Save Elephant Foundation at Elephant Nature Park. We will get to meet some of the elephants and learn about Lek’s work to save elephants from abuse. This is a small group tour and space is limited. Get in touch to inquire about pricing and availability.

Itinerary:

Tuesday Jan. 28 - The Great City of Angels, Welcome to Bangkok

Wednesday Jan. 29th - Bangkok multi-transport adventure

Thursday Jan. 30th - Morning liquid Bangkok headlights adventure

Friday Jan. 31st - Flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai

Saturday Feb. 1st - A day with Lek at Elephant Nature Park

Sunday Feb. 2nd - A day with Lek at Elephant Nature Park

Monday Feb. 3rd - Chiang Mai countryside walking, and Thai kitchen live dinner at Rim Tai Kitchen, the Four Seasons Chiang Mai

Tuesday Feb. 4th - Lamphun and Lampang temples and villages

Wednesday Feb. 5th - Lampang’s mountain top temple

Thursday Feb. 6th - Flight from Chiang Mai to Hanoi, and a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake

Friday Feb. 7th - Hanoi inside and out

Saturday Feb. 8th - Hanoi backstreets adventure by vintage minsk and water puppets

Sunday Feb. 9th - Transfer to Ha Long Bay for an overnight on Bhaya 7 cabin boat

Monday Feb. 10th - Back to Hanoi and onward

An Update on Yai Boon from Elephant Nature Park

Yai Boon, recovering at Elephant Nature Park. Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

You may remember Yai Boon, a 70 year old, skinny and overworked elephant, who was rescued last month by Lek Chailert and brought to Elephant Nature Park. We were overjoyed to get an update on her condition from Lek this week, who says that she is doing much better.

Yai Boon, before her rescue. Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

Yai Boon, recovering at Elephant Nature Park. Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

Yai Boon, recovering at Elephant Nature Park. Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

“Big Gains for Yai Boon after four weeks. Her weight has improved almost three hundred kilograms. Not only food can do this but her recovery is aided by love and care, rest and medical attention. Soon she will be healthy again.”

— Lek Chailert, Save Elephant Foundation

Yai Boon, recovering at Elephant Nature Park. Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

New to the WWW Shop: Elephant Nature Park Coffee

For all the coffee and elephant lovers in your life, we are excited to announce that we’ve just started stocking Elephant Nature Park Coffee in our shop.

We are now carrying 12 ounce bags of whole bean Karuna Medium Roast by Elephant Nature Park Coffee, which has chocolate, spicy and bright notes. By drinking this coffee you are directly supporting a world changing cause.

100% of profits from this coffee support Lek Chailert and Save Elephant Foundation’s Elephant Nature Park and the rescue and restoration of abused Asian elephants. This Thai blend contains coffee that is shade grown by hill tribe farmers in Northern Thailand as part of a reforestation, community development, and women’s empowerment initiative.

This coffee is perfect for weekends at home, or as a gift for a special someone. Stock up and support this important organization!

Elephant Rescue: Bringing Yai Boon Home to Elephant Nature Park

Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

At our fundraising events with Lek Chailert in April, we raised $100,000 to support Lek’s efforts to rescue abused elephants. Last month, blind elephant Mee Boon was rescued. Today, I am overjoyed to learn that as a direct result of our fundraising efforts, Yai Boon, a 70 year old elephant, has also been rescued and is now recovering at Elephant Nature Park. Lek Chailert and Save Elephant Foundation documented the rescue on their instagram and facebook pages, and the words and images documenting the rescue below are theirs. Thank you so much for your support, we could not have done this without you.

Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

“We are with an overworked old skinny girl. Her name is Yai Boon. She is about 70 years old . We cannot move her yet from her previous place due to the long Buddhist holiday in Thailand and the officials do not work. We await permission for transport and other required paper work .

Yai Boon worked at the same place as our old girl, Yai Bua. They stayed chained in the same place, working together for 4 years. Yai Bua was rescued on February 6th, 2016. At that time Yai Boon was still healthy and the owner would not let her go. They continued to use her for riding until two weeks ago when she collapsed. We sent the vet to check. Her condition was very malnourished and dehydrated. Our vet is now treating her to ensure that she is strong enough to transport to her new home. Soon Yai Boon will be free. ”

— Lek Chailert, Save Elephant Foundation

Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

“After two days of veterinary care, IV fluids and B vitamins, as well as better food , Yao Boon is ready to go on her journey. Our team decorated the truck to help her walk curious and less intimidated onto her final transport. She had a few second thoughts and then finally walked onto the truck. Yai Boon is on her way home now. On behalf of Yai Boon and her future friends in the Park, we would like to thanks to Allene Lapides, a generous resident of Santa Fe, New Mexico, who helped us to rescue Yai Boon. She no longer has to work, and now she can enjoy the freedom life that she deserves. Thanks to Singleton Rankin of World Woman Work together with members of Santa Fe community who always support our project. You have helped to change Yai Boon’s life forever.”

— Lek Chailert, Save Elephant Foundation

Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

“Please pray for Yai Boon. Long Hours on the road for our old girl, she get exhausted, heavy rain during journey, our team have to stop often to let Yai Boon to get a short nap. About 3-4 hours to go. Be strong old lady. You will be home soon.”

— Lek Chailert, Save Elephant Foundation

Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

“Yai Boon is home. What is not much of a journey for one, can be a great hardship for another. It was a tiring trip for Yai Boon. I was actually concerned for her ability to travel the whole way once we were in motion. She walked so strongly on Terra Firma, but the truck motion was a challenge for her. She is very undernourished. Her health is fragile because of it. Our vet and team monitored her the whole time, especially Darrick who never left her side, comforting her from beginning to end. Yai Boon is weak in body, but strong in mind. She carries on her struggle for freedom. Every one needs help at that.

Thank you to all friends who sent your journeying mercies to Yai Boon. Thank you so much to Allene Lapides and Singleton Rankin who have given the opportunity for Yai Boon to rest, and taste both joy and freedom.”

— Lek Chailert, Save Elephant Foundation

Elephant Rescue: Mee Boon Comes Home to Elephant Nature Park

Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

At our fundraising events with Lek Chailert in April, we raised $100,000 to support Lek’s efforts to rescue abused elephants. With these funds, Lek Chailert and Save Elephant Foundation were able to rescue blind elephant Mee Boon and bring her to her new home at Elephant Nature Park. Below is her story, which they shared on the Elephant Nature Park facebook page, and the words and images documenting the rescue below are theirs. Thank you so much for your support, we could not have done this without you.

“A couple of months ago I heard the story of a blind elephant working in a tourist camp. I went to visit her to assess her physical status and living conditions. Mee Boon had been in this camp for about five years. Prior to this, she worked in logging camps. It was then that she lost sight in her left eye from an unknown injury.
Her last owner said that Mee Boon could still see with her right eye when she was bought, but a few months later her right eye also lost vision. It became difficult for Mee Boon to walk around. She walked slowly and was quite afraid. She was no longer good for their business because the area where they worked was mountainous terrain, and the elephant must be able to walk up and down steep hills and go to the creek and a water fall. Mee Boon could no longer do that. So, for years, she just stood in the same small place, doing nothing.
They announced recently that they were wanting someone to help her out from their place.
I would like to thank Allene Lapides from Santa Fe, New Mexico, who donated the funds to take Mee Boon out of her suffering. Thanks to the group of Trunks Up Santa Fe, to Singleton Rankin and all her team who have helped to bring a new life to this beautiful girl.
From this day, we are privileged to provide care for Mee Boon. We will find a way for her to join with others, and to know the joy of relaxed living embraced by the deep bonds of friendship with her own kind.”

— Lek Chailert, Save Elephant Foundation

Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

On the Mee Boon’s journey to Elephant Nature Park, Lek Chailert wrote this:

“Mee Boon is taking a journey to her freedom. To rescue an elephant, to have an elephant get onto a truck can be the most difficult part of the adventure. Many elephants have a terrible memory of being moved from one place of work to the next, often accompanied by further hardship on arrival, as a new owner would assert control. The smell of a truck can incite fear and panic, making loading a challenge. We don’t want our elephants to be distressed or fearful. We take time, and also prepare the truck to be more welcoming, so that the elephant can have some comfort when embarking the truck. We made a jungle truck for Mee Boon, and it took only a couple of minutes for her to readily walk in. We have secured her support rails for transport now and are ready to take her home. ”

— Lek Chailert, Save Elephant Foundation

Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

Photo courtesy of Elephant Nature Park and Save Elephant Foundation.

Lek Chailert of Save Elephant Foundation comes to Santa Fe

Last month we had the best visitor! Lek Chailert, of Save Elephant Foundation and Elephant Nature Park in northern Thailand, came to Santa Fe. We had three wonderful educational and fundraising events while she was here. There was a luncheon at Shelby House with a beautiful vegan Thai & Vietnamese-inspired menu prepared by Hue-Chan Karels of Open Kitchen Events.

Luncheon with Lek Chailert at Shelby House Santa Fe, photo courtesy of Lek Chailert

Then we had an amazing dinner, followed by a screening and lecture at Violet Crown. In total, about $100,000 was raised for Lek’s efforts to save abused elephants. Thank you so much for all of your support. We could not do this without you!

With Lek at the Violet Crown in Santa Fe, photo courtesy of Lek Chailert

Lek at the Violet Crown in Santa Fe, photo courtesy of Lek Chailert

Lek at the Violet Crown in Santa Fe, photo courtesy of Lek Chailert

Lek at the Violet Crown in Santa Fe, photo courtesy of Lek Chailert

With Lek in Santa Fe, photo by Beau Wattana

A Second Chance for Kabu

A second chance for Kabu
It's been a year since her rescue, and you will not believe the difference a little love can make. 

“With a weeks worth of preparations and 2 days spent searching the jungle we were able to rescue Kabu the elephant. It was a 24 hour round trip to bring Kabu from Tak province in West Thailand to Elephant Nature Park, Chiang Mai. Now Kabu has a fresh start where she will no longer be abused. We and volunteers are very proud of this rescued elephant and honored to provide her with a new life.”

Last year, Lek Chailert and her team from the Elephant Nature Park rescued Kabu from her life of logging in the hills of Thailand.

When Kabu was small, she broke her left front leg in an accident. Because of the heavy work required of an elephant, the leg was never allowed to heal properly. Despite her injury, she was still forced to work, haul logs, and carry people.

Now that Kabu is free to roam and play at the Elephant Nature Park, she is thriving! You can see the difference in her spirit in the video and images below.

You have given Kabu this second chance through your generous support. Just imagine how we can impact the lives of other animals in need. Even the smallest changes can make a big difference.

Kabu before her rescue

Kabu before her rescue

Kabu before her rescue

Kabu
Enjoying her new life at the Elephant Nature Park

Photography & Videography by Elephant Nature Park. 

Elephant Nature Park is an elephant rescue and rehabilitation center in Northern Thailand where you can volunteer and visit to help. We have been involved in dozens of rescues which have created our thriving elephant herd. The park provides a natural environment for elephants, dogs, cats, buffaloes and many other animals under our care.