Sponsor Sompan, a female elephant living at Samui Elephant Sanctuary, Chaweng Noi for 1 year. By sponsoring Sompan you are helping to support her daily care, including her food requirements.
 
Sompan, a female elephant now in her 50s, has lived a life of both hardship and resilience. Her working life began in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, near the Thai-Myanmar border, where she was employed in the logging industry. Elephants like Sompan were often used to transport timber across the border, providing a steady income for their owners.
 
As years passed, Sompan was sold into the tourist industry in Southern Thailand, giving rides to visitors in popular destinations such as Krabi, Phuket, and most recently, Phang Nga. In Phang Nga, she was leased to a small elephant camp that offered tourists the chance to bathe with elephants. The camp was ill-equipped to provide proper care and at night the mahouts would tether the elephants in the forest to graze. Sompan's owner, already distressed by the recent loss of another elephant, grew increasingly worried about Sompan's health and well-being. Taking care of an elephant is a huge responsibility, providing a constant supply of food, water, and dedicated attention. With multiple responsibilities to manage, she couldn't give Sompan the care she deserved and the mahouts hired to help her were at times abusive, further eroding the owner's confidence in their ability to care for Sompan properly.
 
Out of deep concern for Sompan's welfare, the owner decided to contact Samui Elephant Sanctuary to take over her care. Having followed the sanctuary’s work for years, she was confident that the elephants there received excellent care, and that it would be the best place for Sompan. The elephants at the sanctuary enjoy spacious chain free shelters that protect them from the elements, access to abundant food and water, and the freedom to roam in a large, forested area. With veterinarians on hand to provide medical care if needed, Sompan would also have the chance to socialize with other rescued elephants in a natural and peaceful environment.
 
Sompan was rescued by Samui Elephant Sanctuary on August 16, 2024. She is now enjoying a better life in her new home, where she is cared for with respect and kindness, and it is hoped that in time she will form new friendships with the other elephants. Her future looks bright as she begins to explore her jungle abode, and enjoy the life she deserves.