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1. Christian Mueller says:

   September 24, 2025 at 1:43 pm

   WOW! What an amazing and important post to read! 🐘🇹🇭 I’m so happy to see a blog like this, helping to spread awareness about ethical elephant tourism. It’s so crucial for travellers to understand the difference between a real sanctuary and a place that exploits these magnificent animals. Thank you for this valuable information! 😊💖

   The deep history of elephants in Thailand and Cambodia

   It’s fascinating how elephants are so central to the culture of many Southeast Asian countries, not just Thailand. For centuries, the Thai elephant (chang in Thai) has been a symbol of power, royalty, and national identity. They were used in ancient warfare, with kings riding them into battle to protect their lands. For a long time, the number of white elephants a king owned was a sign of his power and wealth. Did you know that the flag of Thailand from 1855 to 1916 even featured a white elephant on a red background? This shows how important they were to the country’s history. You can read more about this on the Elephants in Thailand Wikipedia page.

   Similarly, in Cambodia, the elephant is a deeply revered creature. The Khmer Empire, which built the incredible temples of Angkor, used elephants for heavy labour and in their military. If you ever visit places like Angkor Thom, you’ll see the famous Terrace of the Elephants, a huge platform with carvings of these animals. It was used by the King to view his victorious army. This shows the same respect and use of elephants for power and ceremony as in Thailand. The presence of elephants is also seen in carvings at temples like Angkor Wat and Bayon, where they are depicted as divine beings, symbolizing strength and wisdom. The divine white elephant, known as Airavata in Hinduism, is also significant in Khmer culture, often seen as the mount of the god Indra. You can learn more about this by looking at information on the Terrace of the Elephants in Cambodia.

   The sad truth behind elephant riding

   Your blog post is so right to highlight the cruelty behind elephant riding. What many tourists don’t know is that to “tame” an elephant for riding or performing tricks, they go through a brutal process called “phajaan” or “the crush.” It involves separating a baby elephant from its mother and subjecting it to physical and psychological torture until its spirit is broken and it obeys humans. This is a very sad and painful tradition. By choosing ethical sanctuaries where you can observe, feed, and bathe elephants, you are helping to end this cruel practice and support a better life for these gentle giants. It’s a much more rewarding and beautiful experience to see an elephant being an elephant, living a happy life! 🙏❤️

   Did you know that? 🤯

   • Elephants can hear with their feet! They can sense vibrations in the ground caused by sound waves, which helps them detect other elephants or even approaching dangers from miles away. 👣
   • They have an incredible memory. The saying “an elephant never forgets” is very true! They can remember their migration paths and even other elephants and humans for many years. This is why it’s so traumatic for them to be separated from their families.
   • The elephant’s trunk is a marvel of nature. It contains over 40,000 muscles and has no bones! It’s so strong it can lift heavy logs, but also gentle enough to pick up a single blade of grass. 🌿
   • They mourn their dead. Elephants have a deep sense of grief. When a member of their herd dies, they will often visit the bones of their loved ones, even years later, gently touching them with their trunks. This shows their complex emotions and strong family bonds.

   Thank you again for this post! It’s so important for tourists to be responsible and make a positive impact. By supporting ethical tourism, we can help ensure a future for these amazing animals. 🙌 #EthicalTourism #ElephantSanctuary #ThailandElephants #Cambodia #KhmerCulture #SaveTheElephants #ResponsibleTravel #Thailand #TravelForGood

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