Interview with the CEO: Elephant Jungle Sanctuary (EJS)

EJS has been a cornerstone partner in our mission to elevate elephant welfare across the region, holding our prestigious Gold Level Certification for several years across four key locations: Phuket, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and Koh Samui. Throughout our long-standing collaboration, we have seen Khun Piano and the EJS team demonstrate an unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest standards of care, ethical management, and operational excellence in every sanctuary they run.

Today, we are excited to dive into their journey, explore what it takes to maintain Gold-standard operations across multiple sites, and discuss the future of responsible elephant tourism with Khun Piano, Patitta Triwet / the CEO of Elephant Jungle Sanctuary (EJS).

1. Vision & Goals: As a CEO, what’s your big-picture vision for EJS, and what exciting goals are you currently working towards?

My biggest goal is actually very simple, and maybe that's why it's so hard: genuine happiness — for the elephants, the mahouts, our staff, and every guest who walks through our doors. Not happiness as a marketing word, but the real thing. If everyone who is part of EJS, human or elephant, ends the day truly content, then we've succeeded that day.

Right now, one project I'm especially excited about is our elephant health OPD system. Elephant healthcare has been at the heart of EJS since the beginning, and we've been moving from paper records to a fully digital system — daily health monitoring, treatment follow-ups, automatic reminders for our vet team. It means nothing slips through the cracks, and every elephant's health story is documented and acted on. Watching that system come to life has been one of the proudest parts of this year.

We've also had cases recently where our veterinary team's persistence genuinely changed an elephant's outcome — recoveries that reminded all of us why we do this. The dedication of the team is something I'm grateful for every single day.

2. Elephant Tourism: What’s on your mind regarding the current state of elephant tourism? How do you see it evolving in the future?

Globally, travellers are paying more attention to animal welfare than ever before, and I welcome that. EJS has been evolving since day one, more than ten years ago — we've never stopped adjusting how we care for our elephants, and we can say that with full confidence.

But here's something I feel strongly about: some voices now argue that even bathing with elephants should end. At EJS, we see it differently. We're not only representing elephants — we're representing mahouts, and the Thai way of living alongside elephants that goes back generations. A domesticated elephant cannot survive without human care. The bond between an elephant and the person who cares for them is real, and it deserves to be protected, not erased.

Looking ahead, I believe elephant camps everywhere will keep raising their standards. Knowledge is spreading, and that's good for elephants across the whole industry — not just at certified sanctuaries.

3. Current Focus: Where are you at the moment? What accomplishments are you really proud of, and what’s next on your adventure?

Our focus right now is elephant welfare and the guest experience — and honestly, they go together. When elephants live well, guests feel it. And guests are what allow us to care for over a hundred elephants. The two support each other.

What am I proud of? I tell myself this every day: I'm proud that today, EJS opened its doors again. The elephants ate well. Our people had meaningful work, doing it alongside the animals they love. Everyone in this community we care for ended the day happy. That's my daily accomplishment, and it never gets old.

Beyond that, the moments that stay with me are the small ones. A parent emailing us that their child wrote a school report about what they learned at EJS. A guest who visited years ago writing to say they became a veterinarian because of their day with us. Those are little seeds we planted in someone's heart. You can't measure that on a spreadsheet, but it's why we exist.

What's next? Honestly, our next adventure is standing firm in what we believe. The conversation around elephant tourism will only get more intense. Our job is to keep educating, keep showing people what Thai elephant care truly looks like — the closeness, the love between people and elephants — and to walk through that conversation with confidence.

4. EJS Branches: With all the EJS locations you manage, what unique features or highlights do you think are worth showcasing for each one?

Chiang Mai — our original home, and its heart is the Karen community. EJS Chiang Mai began with elephants whose owners are Karen people, and most of our team there are Karen brothers and sisters. Their traditional knowledge of elephant care runs through everything. And the view — honestly, sometimes just sitting there looking out over the mountains is happiness in itself.

Pattaya — our sustainability leader. Over 80% recycling, more than half of our energy from solar, a full water treatment system, and even handmade poo-poo paper crafted on-site from natural materials. Pattaya proves that an elephant camp can be genuinely kind to the planet, not just to elephants.

Koh Samui — our community camp. Almost everything the elephants eat is grown on the island or bought from island farmers. The enrichment program there is exceptional — the elephants have real opportunities to play, forage, and express natural behaviour. It's intimate, and it works hand-in-hand with local people.

Phuket — our wellness centre. Phuket stands out for its clinic: a full-time veterinarian, vet assistants, and a very strong care team. Many of our older elephants live there, so it's a bit like a retirement home — with close monitoring, preventive medicine, hydrotherapy, water walking, and even medical tools like glucose and oxygen monitoring. We're deeply invested in elephant longevity, and Phuket is where that shows most.

Every branch is a place we're proud of. Each one is beautiful in its own way.

5. ACES Standards: I’d love to hear your insights on the ACES standards!

ACES has helped every certified camp raise its game — including us. We take the ACES framework and use it to develop ourselves, and maintaining the standard year after year keeps us moving forward rather than standing still.

What I value most is that ACES understands the reality of elephants in human care. It recognises that close-contact activities like bathing can be done ethically, with clear welfare guidelines behind them. That combination of high standards and cultural understanding is rare, and it matters.

I see our relationship with ACES as a true partnership. We believe in ACES, we want to see ACES grow, and we're looking forward to growing together — and doing more good work together in the years ahead.

" No matter how the world changes, elephants will always need care. Standards matter — but standards must walk hand-in-hand with culture. The Thai way of caring for elephants carries generations of knowledge and love, and you can't replace that with a checklist written from the outside. Our belief at EJS is simple: keep the welfare high, keep the culture alive, and let people see the bond for themselves. Once they see it, they understand. " @Khun Piano/EJS CEO