Thailand

From Bangkok, which was built on a plain, I head for the hilly mountains in the north on my way to Chiang Mai, to dive even deeper into the mysteries and marvels of Thailand.

In Thailand, the elephants represent power. But here in Maesa elephant Camp in Chiang Mai, you never know the gigantic animals could be so tame. The show has already begun!

The elephant show is a seamless display of cooperation between the elephants and their trainers, who are called Mahout. It's quite amazing to watch these intelligent animals engaged in some very human games, sometimes with a nimble grace that鈥檚 quite startling when you consider their enormous bulk. A gentle imitation of the famous bone-bruising Thai massage takes your breath away when you think of the weight of the animal, and its potential strength. Try your wildest guess on their intelligence: they can even paint. At first it was not easy to teach them. They couldn't get the hang of holding the brush. But eventually, the more artistically talented among them went on to develop their own style. This one is consistent with the dotting of the impressionists while the others are engaged in work that's a little bit less abstract. I am not sure the elephants can see the picture as well as we do, because they have poor vision. And I'm not sure how they feel about them. Perhaps they'd prefer music work. They have poor vision but excellent hearing, better than the human beings, thanks to their amplified ears.

Elephants are affectionately featured in many Thai myths and legends. And Thai people have a long history of training and working with the elephants. They help them pull the logs in the jungle. But right now, there are less than five thousand elephants in Thailand. And the Maesa Elephant Camp is one of the many projects established to save the precious animal, which is the symbol of Thai nation.

Never expect I would have a second chance to ride the elephants. We are going to visit the homes of the elephant artists.

It was a short trip through the camp's little jungle (which has been artificially grown), but quite exciting because it's very different from riding an elephant on the flat road. The ups and downs were much exaggerated by the massive momentum of the stroll and I was glad to be wearing a safety belt. The nursery is where the young elephants are kept. Here we find a five-month-old hanging around his mother. You can feel that the skin of the little elephant is still soft and thin. Of all the creatures none mirrors the life term of man like the elephant. They generally live to the ripe old age of 70, and mature in a very similar way to human beings. There's just one major difference. An elephant pregnancy lasts for nearly two years before the baby arrives.

Each elephant has its own Mahout, or keeper.The Mahout usually lives in a small hut next to his elephant and they develop a very close relationship.

Mr. Dee, the Mahout of six-year-old Full Moon, says the relationship between he and Full Moon is like father and a naughty daughter. I do see a perfect picture of love and trust when the two walked slowly away into the rain through that emerald green grass.

Chiang Mai was the ancient capital of the Lanna Dynasty in northern Thailand in the 13th century and the Wat Doi Su Thep temple, often referred to as the Golden Pagoda, is the symbol of the old city. The temple is perched on a small mountain overlooking Chiang Mai city. A relic of the Buddha has been carefully preserved here. It is believed to be the shoulder bone of Buddha and thus gives the temple extreme prestige. Many followers have donated small bells, with their names inscribed on them, to be hung along the roofs. And believers whose prayers have been answered have donated many of the statues.