Maetaeng Elephant Park & Clinic — Attraction in Chiang Mai Province

This park is very geared towards consumerism and I personally feel the animals are mistreated. The park itself is clean and they have lots of things to do. We did a bamboo raft tour and that was very enjoyable. The restaurant at the end of the raft tour was delicious. The staff were good, they took pictures of us on our phones for us to keep. Customer service was good. We visited the long-neck shops and women there- it was interesting. Lots of things to buy. But the negative aspects were overshadowing.

The elephants are chained at one foot and trained to not move. They will then wear a cut off chain that keeps them thinking they are still chained in place. On the raft tour, elephants are strategically placed along the river edges and what you can’t see very well is that they too are chained in that one place. You can ride the elephants but they have the seats you sit in- those cause pain and injury to elephants historically. They get lead around behind their ears with a hook held by the animal handlers. Just red flags.

We rode the ox carts and one cart had an ox that wasn’t cooperating. It took multiple drivers to get him back on the yoke and it was a little worrisome as the cart had 3-4 passengers. Once he was secured, the female driver took her staff and hit the ox multiple times to the face and eyes with great force. Somewhat traumatizing event for us and my 9 year old daughter.

At face value, the park seems exciting and wonderful. But when you take a moment to observe these aspects, it really makes the entire experience quite sad. Did we have a good time- sure. But I would pick a place that prioritizes animal well-being and not treat them like a circus.

Response: I’m fully aware of what their carrying capacity may be and understand the ratios. However, the mahout, the howdah, and the 1-2 people they are carrying throughout the day and on a regular basis is taxing on their backs and spine. It poses spinal injury and tissue damage from the constant load. It’s not a matter of if they have the strength, it’s the regularity of it and their anatomy to bear that. They are in fact chained to cement floors because we walked past multiple areas where this was observed. It could be seen from the river ride as well. I also understand methods must be taken to keep them docile when people are interacting with them. They may not undergo Phajaan, but requiring them to perform tricks for patrons instead of living a protected life that is free of unnatural demands is a depressing life. I appreciate your response and willingness to explain and defend your business, however, I’m not at all comforted by it. I think there are a lot of attractive and fun aspects to your park, but I’m sad for...

Please do not go here animals are forced and beaten with a hooked metal rod. Please try to go to an elephant sanctuary. Do your research we shouldn’t be riding or bathing these animals. Elephant rides and long hours spent standing on hard surfaces are major contributors to serious foot problems, arthritis, and back injuries. Most captive elephants die decades short of their normal lifespan.

Elephants' spines cannot support the weight of people and doing so all day can lead to permanent spinal injuries. There are further complications from having a chair (howdah) attached to their backs. This clunky contraption rubs on their backs, causing blisters that can become infected. In addition, wear and tear on the elephant’s feet after long-term trekking can cause foot infections and injuries.

It might be fun to see them do cool tricks like painting and posing for pictures but it’s not okay. If you want to see elephants in Thailand, research and choose sanctuaries that prioritize the well-being of the animals, offering observation experiences without riding or direct contact.

They will probably reply and say that everything is humane but exploiting animals never is. They should be free or in a sanctuary and if they had a choice they wouldn’t choose to give rides or shows all day long. Regardless of what they might say to this review please do your own research and you won’t find one article saying that these...

THIS IS CRUEL. DO NOT COME HERE AND SUPPORT ANIMAL CRUELTY. I understand that most of you who are reading this are in tour groups. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ask to visit a SANCTUARY! There are literally two elephant sanctuary less than 5km from this deplorable place! At the sanctuary, you can bathe, feed, and observe the elephants in their habitat. Watch them naturally and unchained! DO YOUR RESEARCH. ELEPHANTS WERE NOT BORN TO HAVE ANYONE SIT ON THEIR BACKS FOR ENTERTAINMENT. ELEPHANTS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE CHAINED AND POKED WITH SHARP OBJECTS FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT. Would you want your dog / cat / or yourself to be chained and given piggyback rides for 8 hours a day? DO YOUR RESEARCH. IT'S AS EASY AS A GOOGLE SEARCH : "Can you ride elephants?" The answer will always be NO. Support an elephant sanctuary that protects and allows these beautiful creatures to live in freedom. Regardless of how this place may justify their actions, it is on YOU at the end of the day to stop supporting these tourist traps full of people who have not done their basic research. No matter how much the park justifies how an elephant can support the capacity of two human beings and a chair on their backs, remember that this isn't ONE ride a day... it's HUNDREDS. The elephant you rode today is experiencing this torture EVERY SINGLE DAY. GO TO A ELEPHANT SANCTUARY. I am ashamed that I didn't go to a more elephant-friendly park. Don't...