Our President, Sir Richard Armstrong paid a visit to Ban Ton Sae last week and spent two days reviewing progress with STEF trustee Jakrapob Thaotad. Jake lives near the site and has been overseeing all the work during the last year, clearing the 
plantation of rubber trees, removing palm oil trees, dredging the ponds, planting new eco-friendly, sustainable trees and shrubs, grasses and aquatic plants including the sacred lotus.
Sir Richard closely follows all developments in STEF and attends all meetings of the trustees (with Jake usually participating on Skype). He expressed his delight at the progress that had been made sine his last visit in 2018. With Jake, they discussed the plans for the new Veterinary Centre that we hope to complete within the year. 
We are currently actively fundraising for the funds needed to complete the work.
The location at Ban Ton Sae is quite beautiful and now the ponds are being cleared, the grasses are growing well and the trees have established themselves we can begin to see what the haven will look like and
how peaceful it will be for old, unwanted, lame or needy elephants.
Once funds are achieved for the Veterinary Centre, we will move to build our Education Centre – as, alongside health and welfare, education is the cornerstone of conservation, and we intend actively to promote knowledge about the Asian elephant, its care, and the significance of this magnificent animal in Thai culture.
If you will help us on our way, please go here to donate, or sponsor a tree or just visit our shop and buy on line. Thank you.
We have just finalised the design for the new STEF Veterinary Centre at Ban Ton Sae. We have kept the design
very simple – it is a covered barn, but needs a reinforced concrete floor to take the weight of one or more elephants and we have used the technical advice of the designer of the Government’s Elephant Hospital. Based on this advice, our own architect has produced these excellent concept design pictures so you can get an idea of our plans for 2019.
the barn and include stocks, barriers and a recessed vertical step (called a haha) for off-loading and loading elephant patients (you can see it to the right of the main picture). We will then complete the simple office and lab which can be used by local veterinarians and our own veterinary 
technicians.
to serve hundreds of domesticated elephants in this part of Southern Thailand. We will care here for elephants that are sick or unable to work through age, illness or are otherwise needy. It is a Community Support Project.
The advancement and encouragement of the ethical treatment, welfare, and veterinary care of the Asian elephant in Thailand will only occur through education. One of STEF’s principle aims since it was set up has been to promote education both to the people of Thailand and internationally. With these objectives in mind, the Trustees set up an initiative called 
based elephant centres in Phang Nga Province.
education and pre-vocational training in hospitality and agriculture. Its mission is to provide life skills to help children in need to become open-minded, confident, caring and happy human beings. The STEF offer was accepted with alacrity, and we were delighted to arrange the day at no cost to Yaowawit. Local transporters offered to help with special rates for the transport, and the Park, which was closed to other visitors for the day, generously provided food and staff giving the students a very full and constructive programme.
Twenty students aged 7-12 were able to meet the elephants, learn about them and participate in a wonderful range of educational activities. The students learned about the history, management, welfare and healthcare of the Asian elephant and its essential role in Thai culture. They saw how to make elephant food balls, which can be used as supplements, and were able to meet and feed some of the 
magnificent elephants at the Park. The value of elephant-human interaction is critically important and it was wonderful to see the children responding to the feel, smell and touch of these magnificent animals. An arts and crafts session was included, with prizes for the most creative and distinctive elephant art.
The Trustees of STEF have approved a proposal to prioritise the building of an Elephant Veterinary Centre at Ban Ton Sae in 2019. 
There is an urgent health and welfare need in this part of Southern Thailand where there is no alternative veterinary facility to serve some 600 domesticated elephants, and the nearest elephant hospital is over four hours’ drive away. STEF plans to create a safe, well-managed veterinary centre for elephants that need veterinary care, or are no longer able to work through age or illness, 
or that have become a burden to their owners.
You can see us here measuring out the land.
We will also lay a suitable access track, include an isolation unit and build a small office, storeroom and laboratory.
We are delighted that STEF Thailand has now been formally registered by the Government of Thailand as a Charity. As our sister charity, STEF Thailand is now able to receive donations in Thailand as well as to apply for charitable funds and gifts. STEF Thailand’s stated aims include the health and care of elephants, to provide education and understanding about the elephant, the ancient traditions associated with them in Thai culture, to undertake research that can be directly applied in the field, and to provide a home for old or disabled elephants and those unable to work or live normally in the Southern Province of Thailand.
and the Cambodia Pony Welfare Organization based in Phnom Penh. She is currently Vice-President of the 
STEF Chair, Dr Andrew Higgins, paid a visit to Ban Ton Sae this month to see for himself the progress that is being made in developing the land for 
elephant care. He was given a full tour by fellow trustee, Jakrapob Thaotad, who is managing the development and whose 
sharp and creative eye has led to the design of the land and its landscaping so that it is not only ideal for caring for elderly elephants and those in need of help, but also so that Ban Ton Sae can be a centre of excellence for education and research.
in February. All of the rubber trees have been removed, the ground has been cleverly landscaped, new grass has grown dramatically quickly, and the trees planted before the rains have all taken root. Jake and his small team have worked incredibly hard to achieve so much in such a short time, and we must now do all we can to keep raising the funds to keep up the momentum for this project
that is so important for the elephants and the community of Southern Thailand”.
As part of the STEF objectives of sustainability, we are developing the hilly slopes at Ban Ton Sae for cultivating the crops we shall require for our elephants and humans. We need to grow rice, pineapples, bamboo and elephant grass and this will require careful agricultural management. But our aim is to grow all our needs on our own land.
Our terraces are on a very small scale but have already been carved into the hillside. They will be fed by the natural springs on site. In the old days, such terracing was very labour intensive but modern machinery has made it relatively easy for us. We can almost visualise what the hills will look like once the first crops appear. We also think the terraces really enhance the hilly terrain, replacing the vast number of rubber trees and palm oil trees that were grown there previously. 
STEF Trustee Peter Laurie has been working in animal welfare since he graduated from Oxford University. You can read about his background if you 
Q.: Thank you. What do you see as the most important part of STEF’s mission? 
Q.: How often do you visit Thailand? 
Q.: We will look forward to your further visits. How do you see STEF expanding in the future? 
Q.: That is so important. Thank you. Any other thoughts? 
Elephants are the most well-known animal in the animal kingdom and, like horses, have been used by humans for thousands of years. As long as elephants have been cared for by humans, their health care has been of great importance. 
We will make progress as and when we have the funds to move to the next step.
STEF’s Mission is to promote “the ethical treatment, and high health and welfare standards for the Asian elephant in Thailand” but also “to raise awareness of the elephant, and its welfare needs, through education and to encourage human-elephant interaction.”
especially children, people with special needs and all who want to learn more about the Asian elephant and its importance in Thai culture.
care, welfare, conservation and the veterinary sciences. Professional or aspiring vets, vet nurses and mahouts will always be welcome.