Somboon Legacy

The Somboon Legacy Foundation in Kanchanaburi, West of Bangkok in Central Thailand, is a Non-Profit NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) that takes care of old and sick elephants. The purpose of S.L.F. (abbreviation used in the following presentation text for Somboon Legacy Foundation) is to rescue and rehabilitate elephants from a life of stress and exploitation in elephants camps and elsewhere.

Every day, the Somboon Legacy Foundation allows its resident elephants the freedom to roam freely without a schedule in a giant 48 hectares - 300 Raï – 118 acres forest and fields private land, and also bathe in the River Kwai Noye while socialising with each other, under the constant supervision of their respective handlers (mahouts in Thai language)

At S.L.F., visitors are not able to ride (neither on a seat, nor bareback), bathe with them or directly feed the elephants, which are in fact cruel activities in elephant camps and “so-called” sanctuaries.

Instead, they can admire the elephants expressing their natural behavior in a beautiful tropical natural environment in Thailand where the elephants choose what they want to do, at their own pace and in their own time.

There is nothing better than seeing elephants just be elephants, in their natural environment.

There definitely is a growing demand for “observation only” elephant-friendly tourism with visitors who put the needs of elephants at their heart, and who nowadays look for responsible travel experiences.

It is now time to boost ethical tourism. Wild elephants belong in the wild : they are wildlife, not entertainers. A life in tourist entertainment is no life for a wild animal.

The Somboon Legacy Foundation focuses on observing hands-off (from a distance) the elephants in their natural habitat.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” (Nelson Mandela). It is also the key to understand wildlife. This is the main reason why the Somboon Legacy Foundation in Kanchanaburi created a unique in Thailand Interactive Educational Elephant Center.

Origin

Elephants are tourist magnets : they are on everybody’s bucket list when people visit Thailand.
The Dutch founders of the Somboon Legacy Foundation created this NGO because during their long past experience with so many years in the elephant tourism activity in Thailand, they personally saw the real abuse which elephants endure in places which call themselves “sanctuaries”. So many elephant camps and “so-called” sanctuaries are unfortunately money-making places and huge profit centers for and on behalf of their owners.
The gentle giants in such places unfortunately suffer a lifetime for tourist entertainment, which is a major reason why “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH” and why the time has now come for a REAL CHANGE.
The idea was born to set up a true real sanctuary that is a truly safe haven for elephants, where the gentle giants can roam freely, interact and behave naturally.
TIME HAS NOW COME TO BOOST ETHICAL TOURISM.

The Mission

Elephants at the Somboon Legacy Foundation are not at all chained, nor used for entertainment. They are fully respected and treated with the deep care that they really deserve.
S.L.F stands up for the rights of the mahouts (elephant carers, or handlers) who work there and who individually look after their own respective elephant with full care and respect : they are real heroes.
The Somboon Legacy Foundation is dedicated to raise awareness among tourists, so that people from all over the world do not unknowingly participate in elephants’ abuse. They must rather make informed decisions by putting animal welfare at the heart of their travel choices.
People must protect animals while on holiday in Thailand, as well as anywhere in the world. They must put an end to the cruel exploitation of wildlife and animal abuse caused by the use of elephants for tourists’ entertainment, which does not make sense at all.

The Vision

The Somboon Legacy Foundation aims to inspire people from all over the world to treat all elephants ethically with full care and respect, to protect wild animals from cruelty and to help them to live safely in the wild where they belong.

3 International Nominations and Distinctions

The Somboon Legacy Foundation is the ONLY Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi - Central Thailand - which was nominated 3 times by receiving the #1 ELEPHANT FOUNDATION QUALITY DISTINCTION from the 3 following International Organizations :

1) The "WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION", formerly named The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) is an international non-profit animal rights organization that has been in operation since 1981 with the following vision : “A world where animal rights matter, and animal cruelty has ended”.

The WSPA, with headquarters in London (UK), has regional hubs in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America. It has offices in 13 countries : Australia. Brazil. Canada. Colombia. Costa Rica, Denmark, Germany, Holland, New-Zealand, Tanzania, Thailand, U.SA. and the United Kingdom.

2) The “SAVE ELEPHANT FOUNDATION” with headquarters located in CHIANG MAI in Northern Thailand.

3) The "THAI ELEPHANT ALLIANCE ASSOCIATION" with headquarters also located in CHIANG MAI in Northern Thailand.

The KPA Team, in assocation and partnership with the Somboon Legacy Foundation together with the Legacy River Kwai Resort kindly express their common wish to welcome you in Kanchanaburi during a memorable very instructive 1 Day at the Elephant Foundation + a very relaxing 1 Night stay at the Legacy Resort along the green peaceful River Kwai Noye in central Thailand near Bangkok : an unique exclusive moment and a once in a lifetime experience.