A true home is not just the ground beneath your feet. It is a safe place that no one can ever take away. Many of the elephants who live with us today went through very hard lives before they reached us. On the day they arrived, with tired bodies and tired eyes, we made each of them a quiet promise: from now on, you will have a home, you will be safe, and someone will care for you for the rest of your life. We are just an ordinary group of people from Nonthaburi who stepped in to look after this little elephant park on the day it was about to close, because we knew that if we did not, there might be no one left to do so. Today, the promise we made back then is leading us toward the biggest step we have ever taken.

The Early Days 

In those first days, the promise felt easy to keep, and our hearts were full of hope. We had around 30 rai of land, far more than our elephants could ever need. Every morning, we would watch our elephants walk slowly off into the trees, blending into the forest as if they had never been apart from nature at all. It was not the land alone. Back then, we also had nine mahouts caring for just six elephants, more carers than elephants. With this much space and this many people ready, we knew we still had the room and the heart to open this home to more elephants who were still suffering in the tourism industry, forced to live in unnatural ways that no elephant should ever have to, even though they have lives and hearts no different from ours. One by one, we welcomed them in, and our family grew warmer and bigger, with new members like Nam Chok and Nam Chai, bringing the total to eight lives. 

We never knew that the moment everything felt most complete on these 30 rai of land was the moment just before our hearts would break.

The Day Everything Changed

Then one day, the sad truth arrived. Even though we cared for every elephant and every person here, the land we all stood on was never ours. When the owner decided to sell, all we could do was watch with a heavy heart as the dream we had built with our own hands broke before our eyes, with no power to stop it. Almost half of the land was sold. From the 30 rai we once had, today we are left with only 17 rai, and we still do not know what that land will become. Maybe a villa, maybe a hotel. The reservoir and the green hills our elephants used to see every day may soon be replaced by concrete walls, the noise of machines, and dust. For elephants, who feel noise and stress far more deeply than most people understand, what frightens us most is not the beautiful view we will lose, but the calm of their everyday lives being taken away from them. That day, one painful truth became clear.

As long as we stay on land that is not our own, their home can be taken from them again. We will never let that happen a second time.

But Are They Okay?

We know the question on your mind right now is the same one that once kept us awake at night: but what about the elephants, are they still okay? Please rest assured that they are still safe and cared for as well as we possibly can today. Even though our family has grown, we still have nine mahouts looking after eight elephants, so each one always has someone close by who knows them well. The trouble is, keeping them safe today and giving them the best life forever have never been the same thing. Elephants are born to walk far and to explore. The smaller their space becomes, the fewer chances they have to truly live as elephants.

This is the truth that made us realize we cannot stop here.

The Biggest Step We’ll Ever Take

This is the biggest step we are about to take in building a new home on land that will truly belong to the elephants and to us. A home that no one can ever take away. A place that is large enough, and peaceful enough, for them to be elephants again, to walk, to explore, and to live without ever fearing that one day someone will tell them to leave. This is the only way to keep the promise we made all those years ago. This dream, though, is far too big for us to build with our own two hands alone. That is why every time you come to visit our elephants or pick up a small souvenir to take home, it means more to them than you know. You are not only helping to keep them fed and safe today, but you are also helping us lay the bricks, one by one, of a home that will be theirs forever. Every day that passes is one more day they have to wait. The sooner we reach that new home, the sooner they can begin a life that is truly free and truly safe. 

It would mean the world to us if, one day, you became a part of that home together with us.

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Our Core Mission

At Bukit Elephant Park, our core mission has always been centered on the well-being, dignity, and conservation of our elephants. As part of our ongoing commitment to meeting and exceeding international animal welfare standards, we are implementing an important update to our operational policy. 

As part of our ongoing commitment to their wellbeing, we have made the decision to discontinue all direct physical contact between guests and elephants. While visitors will no longer be able to touch them, supervised feeding activities will continue under the care of our experienced mahouts. 

Supervised feeding activities will continue under the careful guidance of our experienced mahouts and team members, following established safety and welfare protocols. These structured interactions ensure respect for the elephants while maintaining a safe and meaningful visitor experience. 

This decision has been made to further prioritise elephant welfare by:

• Allowing elephants greater autonomy and personal space
• Reducing unnecessary human interference
• Supporting the expression of natural behaviours
• Enhancing both physical and psychological well-being

Our Promise 

Bukit Elephant Park will continue to provide immersive educational and observational experiences designed to promote understanding, ethical tourism, and responsible engagement. Visitors will enjoy carefully managed viewing opportunities within appropriate distances that prioritise the elephants’ comfort and welfare. 

Thank you 

We sincerely appreciate your cooperation and continued partnership as we implement these enhanced welfare measures. Your ongoing support plays a vital role in ensuring the long-term care, protection, and sustainable management of the elephants entrusted to us. 

Bukit Elephant Park Team. 

The post Official Policy Update first appeared on Bukit Elephant Park Phuket.

If you’ve ever walked into Bukit Elephant Park, you can’t miss this elephant — no matter how hard you try. She is the tallest elephant in our park, her majestic body standing tall above the herd. You don’t need anyone to point her out — the moment you see her, you simply know. That’s Asia.

Asia may look like a tame giant — but the moment you spend time with her, you’ll realize she’s actually a naughty baby in a very large body.

Even though she is the tallest, like a grown adult, she rarely listens to her mahout. She does everything that she wants. Her mahouts say that caring for Asia isn’t like caring for other elephants — it’s more like raising a stubborn baby. 

On the contrary, Asia becomes a little tame when she is with Grandma. She is really clingy with grandma and always makes a loud noise when grandma is not around. A sound echoes throughout the park, and then you’ll see Grandma Numsook begin walking slowly toward that calling sound. Because somewhere out there, Asia is calling for her. Our mahouts believe Asia calls to Grandma because she misses her, and every time they hear the sound, they know instantly to find each other. 

One day, after having fun playing in the water, Asia saw Numsook (Remember Our Grandma?) standing nearby. She walked straight toward Grandma without listening to a single word from her mahout. She just follows her heart, especially when it comes to Grandma. When they finally meet, you might expect something exciting, a reunion, a celebration. But there is nothing like that. They stand together, eat together, lean against each other, and sometimes they don’t even look at each other. They simply share the same space, the same air, and spend some peaceful time together.

It might seem like Asia is Namsook’s actual granddaughter, but in reality, Asia and Grandma are not related by blood. Grandma is decades older than Asia, and at this age, she has become like a grandmother to her.

This is one of the most beautiful things you’ll see at Bukit — Asia is not only the largest elephant here, but she is also a reminder that, despite her size, elephants have gentle hearts and possess love and affection no different from humans, perhaps even stronger.

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In the world of an elephant, memory isn’t just about daily routines or survival instincts — it’s about recognizing the soul and heart of the one who walks beside them.

A 78-year-old with a fading view of the world

As you know, 78-year-old Numsook has no teeth left. She also faces another challenge: her left eye is completely blind, and her right eye is blurry. To navigate this world, she relies on P’Nai — the man who has stayed by her side for over 10 years.

More than a mahout

For over a decade, P’Nai has been far more than a mahout in Numsook’s world — he holds a special place in her heart. He is her protector and a beloved figure in her daily life.

Because of Grandma’s disabled eye, P’Nai has stayed by her side for more than ten years. He cares for her with a gentle heart. He makes sure she feels safe, comfortable, and loved every single day. He has become her ultimate Safe Zone. He is the only one she truly allows into her inner world.

Elephants don’t just remember people — they remember how you made them feel.

The trust she chose

Elephants possess a high level of emotional intelligence. They are capable of sensing human sincerity just as deeply as we sense theirs. For Grandma, P’Nai is the one she has chosen to trust amidst the darkness.

Their ten-year journey proves that elephants don’t just remember people — they remember how you made them feel. Because he offered unconditional love, Numsook returned it with loyalty that never fades. It is a beautiful friendship that speaks louder than words.

Why this bond matters to our work

At Bukit Elephant Park, we believe that true welfare is not measured only by food or shelter, but by the soulful connection between an elephant and the people who care for them. The bond between P’Nai and Grandma is the greatest success of our mission.

Moments from their daily life

In Thai culture, “P’” (Phi) is a term of respect for an older brother or sister.

The post P’Nai: The Man Who Became Grandma’s Eyes first appeared on Bukit Elephant Park Phuket.

At first glance, Grandma might seem quiet and shy. She prefers to avoid loud crowds and does not play much with the younger elephants. Instead, she moves with the calm, graceful behavior of someone who has lived a long, full life. Grandma is a warm, gentle, and wise elephant, much like a kind grandmother with many stories to share.

Because of her old age, Grandma has lost all her teeth. She can no longer chew hard foods like grass and sugarcane, which used to be her favorites. Eating tough, fibrous food could now hurt her stomach. To keep her healthy, her mahouts prepare a special diet for her. Today, she loves eating sweet, ripe bananas and soft banana stalks. She even has a clever trick: she gently crushes the banana stalks against a tree to make them softer before eating. This small detail shows just how smart and adaptable she is.

Growing older also brings changes to her health. She has less body fat to keep her warm, so she dislikes cold weather and sometimes shivers when the temperature drops. Additionally, Numsook is completely blind in her left eye, and the vision in her right eye is blurry. Because of these special needs, her trusted mahout stays by her side.

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The post Meet NumSook, Our Beloved Grandma The Beloved Elder of Bukit Elephant Park first appeared on Bukit Elephant Park Phuket.