After 40 Years of Hard Life Entertaining Tourists, This Elephant Finally Finds Freedom
Elephants are often seen as gentle, caring giants in the animal world. But sadly, many of these beautiful animals spend their lives not in the wild, but working for humans — performing in circuses, zoos, and tourist shows.
Thong Bai was one of these elephants.
Thong Bai is a huge bull elephant and a symbol of Surin province in Thailand — a place known as the land of elephants. For over forty years, Thong Bai was used to entertain visitors. His story is a painful example of how animals suffer when forced to work for human amusement.
In Thailand, elephants hold a special place in culture and history. Thong Bai was famous, not just locally but far beyond, appearing in advertisements, movies, and even at weddings. Despite his popularity, his life was harsh and filled with suffering.
Lek Chailert, the founder of The Elephant Sanctuary, has spent many years working to rescue elephants like Thong Bai. She uses her social media to tell the world about the struggles these animals face and to share updates on their progress. One of her posts said, “More than forty years he has served people, and he deserves his freedom.”
For decades, Thong Bai was chained and made to perform tricks and carry tourists. His life was controlled by humans who saw him only as a tool for making money. His enormous strength and beauty were exploited, not respected.
Finally, after many years, things started to change for Thong Bai.
He was privately owned and had appeared in countless commercials and events, but people began to understand that his life could be better.
A year before Thong Bai’s release, Lek brought a guest named Khun NuNa Silpa-archa to visit the elephant and other captive elephants in Surin. Seeing the elephants’ difficult lives moved her deeply. She decided she had to do something.
Khun NuNa Silpa-archa worked hard to free the elephants she met. After a year of effort, she succeeded.
She and the elephant’s owner came to an agreement: Thong Bai would be allowed to live free within a large fenced area. This was part of the Surin Project, an initiative to improve life for working elephants and support the families who care for them, called mahouts.
The local community helped build a shelter for Thong Bai and prepared the land where he would live. The Surin government managed the land, and a company named Thai Beverage helped pay for the shelter.
Now, Thong Bai has a strong, safe home where he can walk freely. He no longer has to wear chains or work for humans. His new area has plenty of space, mud to cool off in, shade from the sun, a water fountain, and open land where he can roam happily.
Lek wrote on social media, “The day we have all waited for has finally come. After more than four decades of chains, Thong Bai is free. Today, we welcomed him to his new home. He seemed unsure and a bit scared of his new freedom — shy to explore without being told what to do.”
No living creature should be treated like a tool or a show. Elephants are smart, feeling animals who deserve respect, freedom, and love.
