Surin

Land of Elephants at Ban Ta Klang

Mahouts do not live all over this “Land of Elephants” province. Only the Kui in a few villages are kui a-chiang or mahouts.

Ban Ta Klang, Tambon Kapho, Amphoe Tha Tum

This ancient Kui village has raised elephants for hundreds of years, since the time when their ancestors settled down in the Dry evergreen forest at the juncture of the Mun and the Chi Rivers. This area had abundant food to feed retired war elephants, which were earlier sent to Ayutthaya as tax in kind instead of being conscripted.

In the old days, pachi, the head of mahouts, led a number of fellow mahouts t ocatch wild elephants in Cambodia. The international conflict in that country put a stop to this practice. Elephant raising in Surin, however, continues unabated, as young elephants are born every year.

The Kui reject the employment of elephants in hard work, such as logging, which is more popular in the North. Elephants, like friends or sons, grow side by side with them. Their bond is indivisible.

While no wild elephants are rounded up now. Domesticated elephants prolong the art of mahouts. When youn elephant reaches the age of 1 or 2 years old, it needs to be trained to receive such orders as helping mahout to its back, turn left-right, walk forward-backward, etc.

In the former time, elephants were trained at home. Now there exists an elephant training center near the Elephant Study Center, to train teenage elephants. Elephant has good memory and can learn several tricks with regular practices.

Elephant Study Center

The exhibition inside the center displays the history of the village, and the equipment used in elephant raiding, such as pakham rope, rope used in elephant raiding made from buffalo skin, etc.. Show on elephant training can be seen every Saturday during 09.00-11.00 am. Women in the village also weave beautiful silk cloth, particularly after harvesting season around December-January. In the afternoon, tourists ride elephants to athe wood by the Mun River, and watch the mahout bathing their elephants in th evening while enjoying the last sunlight of the day.

Group travelers who want to see elephant show durin working days should contact Khun Prakit Klang-Tambon Kapho, Amphoe Tha Tum, tel. (01) 999-1910, (01) 967-5015, or Amphoe Tha Tum, tel. (044) 591141, 591058.

Charges are 50 Baht for Thais and 100 Bht for foreigners.  The charge for riding elephant around the village or along the river is negotiable.

Site Map: Surin

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