Upclose with the Artist Elephants in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai may not ring a bell to many travelers but this Northern Province of Thailand offers a different Thai experience than its capital city, Bangkok. Bangkok has its traffic while Chiang Mai has its wide open road to nature. In Bangkok, monks will give you an angry stare if you take photos of them, meanwhile in Chiang Mai, monks are photography-friendly by just following a  a protocol: ask, just follow instructions like taking off your shoes when you sit beside them for a photo session.) Culture has many different faces even in just one country.
But one of the cultural highlights that makes it a favorite for tourists are its elephants that paints and play sports at a camp.

Outside the walled city, a tourist can experience oneness with these elephants and get to meet hill tribe people who they say are undocumented (and exploited?). Hopefully, not.

An approx. 30 minute road trip to the winding mountainous areas, you'll find  a district called Mae Rim where two major attractions are just kind of "stone's throw" away from each other. First, there's the Mae Sa Elephant Camp and then the Hill Tribes valley. These are side by side attractions on a mountainous area. The latter is where the Thai tourism authorities combined all the hill dwelling people into a single location. 

But before I delve into world of the Hill Tribe, I let you experience first, via this blog,  the Mae Sa Elephants Camp, a sanctuary for Elephas maximus or Asiatic Elephants.

Once you enter the Mae Sa Elephant Camp you will hear the rushing river where some elephants do their daily baths. You'll feel a tropical vibe to it since the place is within a lush forest with wooden shelters abound.

In the name of sustainable ecotourism, the authorities are very careful in caring of these elephants. Though you might see some chains and actions of how handlers tame them.  But this place is a win-win situation for men and beasts, actually.  Fees from tourists help feed the animals, pay the trainers and maintain the survival of the facility. Inside is a restaurant that serves great Thai food where paintings of rabbits, flowers and elephants are hanged on its interiors. And guess what, these art are for sale. So, looking at the crude but likable art, you'll probably ask, who did the them?

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The camp breeds the elephants and provide a proper healthcare. Trainings are done with care, too. Each elephant has its own handler which signals the animal with sign languages and sounds. 

What's amazing is when you realize that the art you earlier saw in the resto was actually done by an elephant. Though it's kind of weird thing but when you're watching the elephant paint live, you will be curious if what they do, makes them think that what they are doing is art. If they don't know the concept of art, so how do they do that?

Science tells that elephants have great memories. They have large brains and they have and they have a highly developed hippocampus and cerebral cortex, which is responsible for willpower and problem-solving. There is even a an old saying that "Elephants never forget." So probably, training and routine are the answers as to why they could paint an image of an elephant, a colorful strokes of flowers, a landscape complete with mountains and foliage. It's no longer their instinct that works but their nature of getting routinary skills given to them through trainers 

The camp has a rodeo-like stadium that can accommodate a number of tourists. These mammals show off their "talents" live like the painting sessions, free kick soccer, balancing and other interesting shows that are photo worthy. 

Unlike in some camps, photography in Mae Sa Camp is allowed and people can get closer with these beasts of burdens. Guests get the rush of excitement when the elephants uses its trunks to hug them for a photoshoot and...a donation. (Yup they use their trunks to get the money and give them to their handlers.) It looks controversial but that's how the camp works for additional financial support.

Feeding the elephant by yourself is also fine as long as they are relaxed. Bananas and sugarcane are their staple food but be careful because they chomp them with gusto. Just beware not to stay behind them or you'll experience a freak  kick or a deadly stomp if it gets aggressive or fear. So, a photoshoot or a selfie at the back of the elephant is a big NO. 

When the show is over, one ride on an Asian elephant along the forest or just eat at the resto while watching elephants going to their respective enclosures.

In conclusion, Mae Sa Elephant Camp is not for everyone. There's always a question if it is ethical to make these animals learn human skills. The kind of shows and the way the elephants are handled could make some serious animal lovers uncomfortable and some may find the actions of handlers as a sort mistreatment to this beautiful creatures. But, Aasian elephants have long been used as beasts of burden by man – transportation, timber logging or in war. But these days, tourism turned them into entertainers to attract more visitors. This could be fun to others but also a sad sight to a person who has deep compassion for nature and animal.. For others, seeing them paint or kick a football could be a product of a forced training. Well the truth is that we cannot please everybody. Only the elephant knows. They never forget :)

Watch out for the Hill Tribe Story SOON. 
These individuals from different ethnic groups speak different language, has a unique heritage and even style of clothing. They are housed in a  camp like area with wooden houses complete with souvenir shops.