Nam Tarn’s ‘Tails’

My name is Nam Tarn (that translates from Thai as Brown Sugar).  I wasn’t always the confident, coconut‑brown beauty you see today. Once, I was a stray – padding between rubber trees, sleeping under motorbikes, and pretending I wasn’t scared of thunderstorms. Then one day, while searching for shade (and maybe some scraps), I wandered into a place that smelled unlike anywhere else. It smelled of elephants. Huge, gentle, wise elephants and there were humans who cared for them with soft voices and steady hands.

That was the day I chose my home: the Southern Thailand Elephant Foundation hospital in Khok Kloi, Phang Nga Province, Southern Thailand. No one invited me. I simply arrived, sat down, and decided I belonged. The humans here understood immediately – some dogs choose their people, and some choose their purpose. I chose both.

Now I spend my days trotting between the hospital buildings, greeting every elephant who arrives for treatment. Some come with sore feet, some with infections, some just needing a check‑up. They’re enormous, but they’re never frightening. They rumble deep in their chests when they see me, and I wag my tail so hard my whole body wiggles.  There are times when I know when to keep my distance.  I may not partake in elephant speak but I can pick up on the body language – a stressed elephant sways constantly, a  tired or hydrated elephant just appears to be in a trance and those who have tummy troubles are definitely ones I stand well clear of!

The vets and nurses work tirelessly – cleaning wounds, checking temperatures, mixing and administering medicines, and comforting mahouts who worry about their elephants the way families worry about each other. I watch everything from my favourite shady spot. I’m not officially on the payroll, but I consider myself Chief Meet and Greeter.

Sometimes the mobile clinic heads out to remote areas and camps, and I wait patiently until the vehicle returns, covered in dust and stories. The team treats elephants who can’t travel, bringing hope to places far beyond the hospital gates. When they come back, I greet them with a wagging tail and I roll over …. that says, “Well done. Now please give me some attention and rub my tummy”.

Life here is peaceful. I nap in the sun, supervise the staff, and keep an eye on the elephants as they heal. I’ve learned their moods, their favourite fruits. I’ve learned that kindness can be as big as a giant’s heartbeat.

I may have started as a stray, but now I’m part of something much larger – a family built around compassion, healing, and second chances.

I am so engaged and motivated to be part of the STEF Thailand team.  I plan to start a series of what is being described as Nam Tarn “Tails”  which I hope you may follow, so watch this space if you want to regularly hear about some of the elephants I encounter.

If you would like to be part of my story too, YOU can sponsor me, Nam Tarn, here  https://southernthailandelephants.org/sponsor-nam-tarn/ or you can of course support STEF’s work in so many other ways. They rely on the general public from around the world to fund their work, and the hospital which has become my home.

Meanwhile I’m off to dig a hole which is one of my favourite past times! Woof.