Elephant Sanctuary

The Phukao Elephant Secret Garden in Mae Rim

I wanted to write about Elephants again. This time, I interviewed the owner of the sanctuary that I had previously visited over the past 3 years. Since I wrote about these Elephants at the MaeRim Elephant Sanctuary previously. I thought of doing an update. However, What I ended up with after I met with the owner. A story that made me want to share. The new Phukao Elephant Secret Garden in Mae Rim.

Like I said after a few years and a handful of visits, I asked thru messenger to interview the owner of the Elephant Sanctuary. I had met the staff there but I was not sure who the owner actually was. What I came to realize is that the youngest of them all is the owner. She grew up around animals and loved them, often she and her family would help an injured animal. Growing up she had a dream to one day create a way to help full time.

Who is behind the Sanctuary

In 2016 at the young age of 25, Busaborg (Pui) Kuetking made her dream a reality. She opened a small Elephant Sanctuary in Mae Rim, simply naming in Mae Rim Elephant Sanctuary. As a result, In the 4 years, Pui has been able to rescue 6 Elephants. 5 females and 1 baby boy, whose mother is one of the 5. She has purchased land, built facilities for the enjoyment of both the animal and the visitor. The visits include an educational component.

It is also certainly important to know why elephant sanctuaries are needed. If the animals get rescued and then freed. The animal would end up back around people, destroying farmers’ crops, and scaring the people. Since this happens the animal’s life would be in danger from being killed. Very unsafe now to be able to try and release domesticated slave animals free to fend for themselves. We can debate the sides of this and in a perfect world yes, we would just free all captive animals.

A Bit of Elephant Sanctuary Business

Each elephant needs at least 1600 square meters of space or 2 rai. The cost in dollars to feed an elephant each day is $30 USD. Mrs. Pui gets no assistance from the government or the university. Where the animals live is adjacent to and use some of the land owned by the university to graze.
Also, each elephant has a handler called a Mahout. These men are usually with the elephant its entire life. In sanctuary situations, they are staff and get paid so there may be some turnover.

It costs typically 10,000 TBH a month per Mahout. The overheads of a sanctuary are very high. Pui was doing well and expanded to a new building and a new name for it. The property is set just behind the old building I had visited. I did come during construction and had seen the new location in its skeletal version but wow. Mrs. Pui really put a beautiful resort-style feeling. You feel so at home. You almost forget that the elephants are hanging around to greet you and happily eat your treats.

Sanctuary is not just for animals

At 25 this incredibly passionate woman not only created a wonderful safe loving environment for the animals. But also staffed 25 people during her busiest times. Now at age 29, happily married, mother of 1 young boy age 2.
Surrounded by the people who love her most. Her family, all working to not only create a beautiful safe place for the animals to retire on. Too also allow guests to meet and interact with the animals in a beautiful lush green property.

Pui’s vision for The Phukao Elephant Secret Garden in Mae Rim. has not grown too fast. A true businesswoman who knew a rainy day might come. She would need to rely on her savings thru a global pandemic. To keep not only the animals but the staff and family fed and housed.

Global Pandemic Impacts Elephants

Phukao Elephant Secret Garden finds way

We are now 6 months into a global Pandemic as a result the borders where shut down here in Thailand and no tourists have been coming in. Tourism is, of course, the only way these animal sanctuaries survive. It is not only how they feed the animals and people but how they rescue other animals in peril. Without Tourism money to support the facilities, many elephants have been moved. Walked 100s of kilometers back into the hills so the hill tribes can take care of them.

Luckily, Pui’s Sanctuary did not have to move the animals,
she is prepared for this “rainy day” situation. Now that months have passed and things are opening back up, Mrs. Pui felt it a good time to invite locals to visit for free. To come enjoy the animals and a good meal from their menu. Pui is also very interested in partnerships with schools. And invites the kids to come up with their school class on educational field trips.

Recovering After Loss of Tourism

Pool Party

Furthermore, The Sanctuary has recently introduced the new PhuKao Elephant Secret Garden at the property. It is a beautiful design with a kid’s play area, pool, food, and beverages. A lush garden with organic vegetables grown on-site is used in menu items when possible. There is also plenty of space to meet the animals. Pui’s a true visionary to champion her cause. And continue to raise the money for the land and Elephants so they can live happily ever after. For the humans, eventually, Mrs. Pui wants to offer sleepover dates and even an elephant observation tent.

The PhuKao Secret Elephant Garden recently had a pool party to raise funds for the Sanctuary. The party welcomed many people to the new facility. Offering music, food, games, beverages, and of course, The elephants. Until tourism returns to normal, businesses need to adapt. In this case, a young entrepreneur took a chance on a pool party to help keep running her sanctuary. With the local villages support, in November Pui will host another free event. To support the Sanctuary please visit either of their web sites or contact us here for the paypal or Venmo options.

The Early Days