BEES – Burm and Emily’s Elephant Sanctuary is a home for old,injured and retired elephants needing rest and/or permenant care. At BEES we give elephants a chance to live free and to just be elephants.
BEES provide an alternative for elephants and their owners to move away from the busy city life and hardships of trekking by providing a retirement home for elephants and a place were elephants can live free and have a good rest in a natural environment.
BEES works to raise awareness and to join many others in the hope to bring an end to the suffering and exploitation of the elephants. There are over 4,000 registered captive elephants in Thailand that suffer everyday in the tourism industry being used for entertainment and trekking. Little do the tourists know that the $$$ are funding the continued exploitation and ultimately the suffering of these beautiful and majestic creatures.
Located just 2.5hrs drive South-West of Chiang Mai, amongst beautiful mountain scenery and lush countryside, BEES is a local family and community based project. Situated in a valley in Maechaem, we have breath taking views of Doi Inthanon the highest mountain in Thailand.
This is a place where you might just find yourself lost in the moment. Experience elephants in a natural environment that stimulates their inherent wild behaviors…. Something well deserved as these elephants have spent their entire lives in the logging or tourism trekking industry before finally arriving at BEES.
Join our Volunteer Program or short stay guest programs, experience living the Thai way in our unique traditional Thai style rooms (a mattress and mosquito net on the floor), enjoy refreshing cold showers after a warm days work and be rewarded by the sight of these beautiful creatures getting a better life. Get up close and personal and learn about elephants from a different perspective and help us bring an end to the abuse and exploitation of these majestic creatures.
Our Story
BEES – Burm and Emily’s Elephant Sanctuary was founded by Burm Pornchai Rinkaew and Emily Rose McWilliam.
Emily McWilliam traveled to Thailand as a teen in early 2009 where she experienced firsthand the abuse of elephants in the tourist trade. She was moved to tears at the poor health and living conditions of so many, but the one thing that really touched her was how elderly many of them were, still taking tourists on treks.
Emily made a promise to the elephants – she would personally do something about their plight.
During 2010 discussions of having an elderly elephant rescue and retirement project began to become reality and at just 18 years of age Emily relocated to Mae Chaem where she co-founded BEES with her partner Burm Pornchai Rinkaew, a native Thai, local to the area. Emily had completed her Certificate II and III in Captive Animal Management (3 years training, with Taronga Training Institute) in Sydney, Australia.
Burm Pornchai Rinkaew studied Tourism industry at Rajabhat University and got his degree in Tourism in 2007. He worked and studied at the same time during his university years as a Hotel Receptionist, a Waiter and Tour guide. He has many years of experience with Tourist communications and speaks very good English. Burm is passionate about developing the surrounding community, he has travelled to Australia during the early stages when BEES ideas started to unfold and believes that it has opened up many opportunities for him. Learning the English language and seeing the developing outside world is a lot different to the village he grew up in and the life he had as a boy. He would love to share his knowledge and teach the kids English to give all the young minds of today a better tomorrow. His knowledge, experience and great sense of humor brings positive energy to the project. Burm grew up in Maechaem, an area that had many elephants and he would love to see the old elephants to be retired and to live a better life before their time runs out.
Burm and Emily rent the land the project is located on from Burm’s parents. The village of Mae Tan is Burm’s family village and many people have come together in the makings of BEES.
Burm and Emily purchased their first piece of land in January of 2011 which links onto Burm’s Parents land.
We started by growing crops and then building on our property. Then we started meeting with the locals and raising awareness of Elephant conservation, educating mahouts/owners and becoming involved in the community so we can all work together for change.
