| Land For Elephants Land for elephants in Ayutthaya
 
Historically elephants roamed in central Thailand from Ayutthaya to Khao Yai National Park in the east. One hundred years ago there were over 100,000 elephants in Thailand, More than 50 years ago 47,000 elephants were taken from central Thailand and sent up north to work in forests and supply the demand for teak. Today it is estimated there are only around 3000 elephants left in Thailand which includes the wild population.
Twelve years ago, Laithongrien Meepan started bringing back elephants to their historical home. Initially the idea was to get a few elephants and mahouts off the street and give them easy, legal and safe work. More than one hundred and fifty elephants later the vision continues to expand.
With the ever increasing cost of food being solved by establishing a farm nearby to grow food specifically for the elephants, the need to purchase more land and give the elephants more space is now paramount.
At the moment the intended land is mostly made up of smaller plots of rice paddies.
The Phra Kochabaan foundation is a non profit foundation that was registered on April 1st 2005 to help and conserve elephants.
All land will bought under the foundation to serve the elephants.
The goal is to purchase 500 rai (1 rai = .3953686 acre)
This would be enough land for about 200 elephants.
One rai costs approximately 700,000 baht. (20,790 USD)
So far 60 rai has been purchased.
The advantage of purchasing land in this area is that it is very close to the city centre of Ayutthaya, only about 2 kilometres. This means that the infrastructure that is required is close at hand, choice of schools, shops, hospitals, entertainment, transport etc. One of the aims is to ensure the mahouts who are central to the welfare of the elephants are provided for. With all this infrastructure only minutes away all the needs of the mahouts and their families are taken care of.
Most importantly it is right across the river, easily accessible by a modern bridge to the Royal Elephant Kraal and all the amenities that already exist there. As well as the river that the elephants enjoy bathing in everyday.
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