Baan Mama Project

BAAN MAMA is a center for old, sick or tired elephants from Thailand. Those elephants cannot work anymore in classical elephant’s camps, and sometimes they are neglected without care, without water nor sufficient food. Those elephants cannot anymore bring money to their owner and nobody wants to buy them. So they are condemned to die in the indifference.

They have specific needs: an adapted food to their conditions, veterinary cares and a lot of love!
BAAN MAMA will host 4 elephants at the beginning.

An other specific at BAAN MAMA: All facilities will be adapt for disabled people (Rooms, restaurant, elephant access…)
So far, there is no place in Thailand able to hosting disabled people, so no opportunity for them to have contact with elephants and live this unique experience!

Location: Green, Quiet and Peaceful !

I found a real haven 40 km North of Kanchanaburi. It’s an old and unused hotel since 15 years, by the edge of the Kwai River. It’s surrounded by a gorgeous 7,5 acres of woodland! Perfect for elephants and visitors! There is a deep serenity coming from this place, as soon you cross the gate.

My goal is to restore this hotel for accommodate visitors, volunteers, and workers and build 4 new rooms adapted to disabled people.

Why welcoming people?

First, for allowed you to live this unique experience with elephants, in a protected space, with all respect elephant needs: environment, food care, and rhythm of life…

And also: 1 elephant monthly cost around 1300€ :

500€ for organic food and veterinary care
400€ for elephant rental
400€ mahout salary (the elephant caretaker).

A number of Asian elephants specialist, veterinary, environement doctors,… recognized than elephant’s survival will depend of ethos sanctuary development; In fact : There is less an less wild areas, where elephants belongs.

Proposal for 1 day / 2 nights “Elephant Visitor”

What I would like to propose to visitor is to meet elephants as musch with your body than with your spirit! I will give you all the time you need and elephant need to understand what is an elephant, how he lives, what he enjoy…All this by spending all day long with elpehants!

For keep you mind clear about others subjects and fully enjoy your day, the best organization is to spend 2 nights with us,

Visitors can also decide to just stay around and relax, and not going with elephants. It’s really up to you: Rest with elephant near by you or spend the day with elephants!

Retreats

Because I was able to witness what elephant can give to us, I would like to allocate a lot of time to different kind of retreats. Especially those that encourage human-Elephant connection and personal development assist by elephant.

Acquire elephants:

I choose to rent elephant because I prefer to engage money in their welfare and facilities rather than buy them.

An elephant owner who rent elephant doesn’t need to buy another one.

An elephant owner who sells an elephant, will want to buy a new one for try to rent him.
In most of case, in Thailand, elephant is just an investment, like an apartment.

One typical day for Elephants at BAAN MAMA

7AM à 9AM: Free time, eating, unchained under 2 Mahout’s watch 9AM: Visitor presentation and bathing in Kwai River
Bathing Time will be up to elephants. Then elephants will go for a walk across wood and surround with visitors. Then go back home for bathing time and eating. 12PM à 3PM: Free time inside wood fence under 2 Mahout’s watch3PM: Giving special food and medications for elephants who need those, bathing, walking and eating again on the way back to the center.8H30PM: Last meal and good night!

In most of elephant’s center, they are attached with chain when visitor are not around. Even if they are not mistreated, they are attached more than 18h a day.
It’s why I prefer to invest in a specific wood fence for enclosing the elephant free space. I want elephant spend most of the day unchained, (under mahout’s watch) at least from 7AM to 8H30 PM

During nighttime, for elephant safety as for neighborhood (especially sugar cane’s fields or manioc’s fields), elephant will be attached with very long chain (30 to 40 m). It will allowed them to keep eating and walking in a safe place. It’s also avoid conflits with human living around.

If us occidental people, are very happy to meet elephants, for local people, farmers it’s always meaning destroy fields, so lost of incomes!

In my team, it will be one person, fully dedicate to elephant’s welfare. It will be in charge to control everyday health quality and wellness. This person will follow a specific “Target Trainning” dispense in Chiang Mai. The method is based on positive reinforcement for the elephants. Through the use of a target pole and short verbal commands, the animal is expected to move in the wanted position. When the elephant cooperates, it is given a treat. This technique reduces the stress often linked to vet checks and therefore allows safe and effective veterinary care for animals.
This person will also spend time at Lampang’s hospital, specialized in elephant’s care.

Who’s Mama ?

My name is Brigitte, but everybody call me Mama. I’m 54 years old and living in Thailand since 6 years.

I met an elephant for the very first time in Africa, in Abidjan. I was 19, and this meeting marked my mind!

I’m a chef, I had different restaurant in Belgium (where I’m from) before I came in Thailand. At Koh Samui, during 4 years, Mama’s Pizza, and Le Bario, were my babies, which I made grow up. Those years, allowed me to discover and immerse myself in Thai culture.

During those years, I met for the second time elephants. This meeting was decisive in my life. I was in September2015, north of Kanchanaburi.

I was sitting on a bench, with a coffee, watching the gorgeaous landscape of Khao Laem lake. Suddenly, I felt a presence behind me. At my eye’s level, enormous foot! I raised my head and she put her amber gaze in my eyes

She was her, in front of me, stand still, majestic and breathless. Time was off… He powerful gaze pierced my soul. I was never the same after that! Being with them, living with them gives my strength, serenity and happiness.

I passed more than 2 years within elephants. I learned to know the, understood their behavior, how they used their trumps, for happiness or anger, and sounds they make. I walked, laughed, swam, fed, and cured some injuries.

Mostly, I loved them, from all my heart and my soul.

Very often, I just spent time around them, and watched them… or gave them fruits!

By the hours, days, real connections were born.

Even this project was brought to me by elephants: One day, I was in the river with them, one of the elephant just stand in front of me. She plunged her trump into the water and bring back a stone, a wonderful stone, and she handed it to me!

I took this stone, and during several days, I didn’t understand what did it mean! Finaly, I did! She bring me BAAN MAMA foundation stone!

I will personally invest 20 000€ for covering the fees during maintenance and rebuild time, before we can hosting visitors/

I estimate an 5000€ for operating cost by month before opening.

But today, for making this project real and start the rebuilt operation, I need you!

Baan Mama - Éléphants : Home Sweet Home !