Anantara Golden Triangle welcomed the youngest member to its ever expanding pachyderm family! The 90 kilo bundle of joy, little ‘Raimon’, was born in the early hours of July 16 at the Anantara Elephant Camp.Raimon’s half-past-midnight delivery was overseen by Khun Au, her ‘Mahout’ (caregiver), the resident Vet, Dr Titiporn and Elephant Camp Manager Khun Jantra. With the assistance of her human family, the newborn calf struggled to her feet within 30 minutes of birth and even managed to take a few unsure steps. As Pang Raimon was deemed to have ‘lots of bristly hair – just like her Mum - but short legs’ (not quite 90cms tall) her Mahout quickly set about creating a special stepladder which would enable her suckle her mother. By dawn on the same day, the ladder was finished, the art of climbing the steps was mastered and Raimon had suckled! The female calf was named Raimon after proud sponsors, Raimon Land, the renowned Thai property developer.
 
First-time mum Bua Tong and baby Raimon are doing extremely well and have quickly adapted to being the stars of the Elephant Camp. As is traditional in Thailand, the baby elephant has two names, an official one for the ‘passport’ - Pang Raimon, and of course nick-name for daily use ‘Am’. John Roberts, Director of Elephants commented, “Unfortunately I couldn’t be there for the birth but under the watchful eye of the Anantara Mahout team and vet, Raimon’s birth was as smooth as one could possible hope for! We are delighted to have a strong baby girl join the fold and enjoy the safety and security of the elephant camp, something that her mother did not have the opportunity to enjoy until more recently.” “Raimon is the second elephant to be born at Anantara in less than a year but it is not part of a breeding programme, rather, we prefer to bring babies and, as in this case, pregnant mothers from the streets”, continued Roberts.Anantara Resort Golden Triangle is set in 160 acres of indigenous forest and landscaped gardens. Locally-made arts and crafts that reflect the area’s distinctive hill tribe and Buddhist cultures have been used extensively at the five-star retreat, where it sits on a hill overlooking a verdant jungle up to the rolling, green hills of Laos in the distance. Set within the resort’s lush bamboo forest, Anantara’s Elephant Camp is now home to 31 elephants rescued from former grim existence in cities like Bangkok and 2 babies who were born in the Camp. With the elephants came their mahouts and families in a project that is aligned with the activities of the Thai government’s Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang and the National Elephant Institute and is overseen by the, Thai registered, Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation.

While the ‘mahouts’ are gainfully employed by their elephants, a silk-weaving project was established to provide in the livelihood of their families, their children attend local schools, and the Foundation has fully insured them and their elephants. A visit to the Elephant Camp is a big highlight for guests at the resort; a chance to get up close and personal with Thailand’s gentle giants. For the adventurous, an opportunity is offered to undertake a three-day mahout training course. Apart from learning to ‘drive’ an elephant and gaining rare insight of mahout camp life, meeting the mahouts themselves is quite an experience. Like Khun Lord, the most senior mahout and Anantara’s very own ‘elephant whisperer’ – named so for his very unusual ability to train baby elephants with tickles and whispers!