From Generation to Generation: The Heart of Le Cher Elephant Home

Le Cher Elephant Home is a family elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai where care, culture, and conservation are passed down from one generation to the next.

1.The Beginning of Le Cher Elephant Home

Many decades ago, a Karen man named Pa Khae began his life’s journey working in the teak logging industry during the time when the Borneo Company received a logging concession from the Thai government. Pa Khae and his elephants worked deep in the forests of northern Thailand, hauling heavy teak logs from the mountains — a livelihood that sustained many families in the region.

When the government later banned all logging activities nationwide, both people and elephants lost their work overnight. Many elephant owners who had relied on logging faced great hardship.
Pa Khae decided to return to his homeland, a small agricultural area known as “Le Cher”, which in the Karen language means “a stone field shaped like a mortar.”

2. A New Chapter – From Logging to Tourism

As time passed, the Thai government began promoting cultural and eco-tourism to support local communities. Elephant camps started to appear throughout northern Thailand, including near Pa Khae’s home.
At that time, elephant tourism was a new opportunity for families who had cared for elephants for generations. Seeing this as a way to ensure his elephants could continue to have food, care, and purpose, Pa Khae brought them to work with local elephant camps.

However, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, tourism came to a complete halt. Camps were forced to close, and elephants once again faced uncertainty. Pa Khae and his family made the heartfelt decision to bring their elephants home to Le Cher, to care for them themselves.
Even without tourists, their bond with the elephants never faded — and it was during this time that a new vision began to form: to create a true home where elephants could live freely and peacefully in harmony with nature.

3. Jack – The Third Generation Carrying on the Legacy

Years later, in the third generation, Jack, Pa Khae’s grandson, grew up surrounded by elephants and nature. From a young age, he witnessed the deep connection between his family and their elephants. After experiencing the impact of the tourism changes and the COVID-19 crisis, Jack was determined to create a sanctuary where elephants are cared for with compassion and respect.

With that commitment, Jack officially established Le Cher Elephant Home in Chiang Mai — a place where elephants can live freely, forage naturally, and enjoy a peaceful life.
For Jack, his role is not merely that of a caretaker, but of a friend — one who truly understands the emotions and needs of each elephant. He hopes that every visitor who comes to Le Cher will gain a real understanding of elephants and their lives.
He firmly believes that “True conservation begins with understanding,” and he is devoted to passing that belief on to the next generations.

4. The Bonding Tradition – The Karen Ceremony of Tying Elephants’ Wrists

For the Karen people, elephants are not just working animals — they are family members, living side by side with humans for generations.
Once a year, the Karen community holds a sacred ceremony called the “Wrist-Tying Ceremony for Elephants”, a heartfelt ritual to show gratitude and respect to the elephants that have long shared their lives with the villagers.

During the ceremony, elders gently tie sacred white strings around the elephant’s ear while blessing them with wishes for good health, safety, and peaceful days at home.
This tradition symbolizes the deep spiritual bond between humans and elephants — one that goes far beyond the word “ownership.” For the Karen, elephants are companions, family, and lifelong friends who share their journey through the forests.

This is also a special time when the younger generation gathers to touch, feed, and connect with the elephants up close.
Through this ceremony, children learn about gentleness, patience, and gratitude — values passed down from their ancestors. They begin to understand that elephants are not just large animals, but living symbols of life, balance, and respect for nature.

The wrist-tying ceremony is more than a tradition — it’s a reminder of kindness, compassion, and responsibility toward all living beings. These are the same values that Le Cher Elephant Home continues to uphold and pass on from generation to generation.

5. The Next Generation – A Hope That Grows with Every Elephant’s Step

Today, Le Cher Elephant Home is lovingly run by Jack, the third generation of Pa Khae’s family. Although Pa Khae has passed away, his love and wisdom live on deeply in the hearts of his descendants.

Jack begins each morning as his grandfather once did — caring for the elephants, feeding them, and walking beside them in the forest. He remains faithful to the foundation that Pa Khae laid: that elephants deserve freedom, safety, and happiness in their natural home.
To Jack and his family, Le Cher is not just a tourist destination — it is truly a family elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai, filled with life, stories, and love that endures through time.

Though Le Cher is now in its third generation, a new hope is quietly growing — the fourth generation, young children who are learning the ways of life among elephants, nature, and family traditions.
They are the future of Le Cher Elephant Home — the ones who will carry on the mission of compassion and conservation for years to come.

For the Pa Khae family, “Le Cher” is more than a name. It is the heartbeat of their family — one that beats in rhythm with the footsteps of elephants across the land of Chiang Mai, and will continue to echo from generation to generation.

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