The Asian elephant has been an icon for tourism, perhaps nowhere more so than Thailand. The country has tourist camps and parks offering rides, treks and opportunities to bathe with the elephants or watch them play football or even paint pictures. I have been to many of these attractions over the past 30-odd years - I even have a ‘mahout driving licence’.
Times move on, however, and in more recent years the concept of what is actually good for the elephants has rightfully gained ground. Some 100 years ago there were roughly 100,000 elephants in Thailand; today that number is about 3,000 wild elephants, and 3,000-4,000 domesticated beasts. Our modern, human-dominated world has taken its toll on the natural wilderness and its inhabitants. In addition, as there has been a new and belated focus on the animals’ wellbeing, many of the less responsible camps have closed.
On the plus side, more socially aware enterprises have emerged. One such is The Bush Camp, which opened in September 2022 in
