Elephant day at Mae Rim

Posted by admin on March 15th, 2010 filed in Attractions, Day trips, tourist tips

You may have missed it but Saturday was National Elephant Day in Thailand. And there was no better place to enjoy this momentous occasion than at Mae Rim Elephant Camp where a full festival of music, food and colour was underway from the early hours.

It is a great experience to see these magnificent creatures up close; my mother – who grew up in Sri Lanka – always had a soft spot for them as they never seem to stop smiling. And they certainly seemed exceptionally happy on Saturday, muching on sugar cane and being bathed by the handlers. At one point a particulary cheeky elephant gently placed a hat on a nervous little girl’s head, and then gave it a delightful pat to secure it in place.

There was a full exhibition of elephant painting and it is fascinating to see how this happens. Mae Rim’s elephants apparently hold the world record for the largest painting produced by elephants, and it would certainly make a colourful addition to my abode.

The mahout puts his hand on the elephant’s ear, gently indicating which way the creature should use his brush. This may seem a little like cheating to you, and indeed there are some abstract works by the elephants which are n0t so restrictively cajoeled.

For any Winnie the Pooh fans who would like to catch a glimpse of a heffalump up close, visiting Mae Rim Elephant Camp is a great day out.