Elephantstay (Ayutthaya)

Elephantstay is an elephant rehabilitation and breeding project in Ayutthaya, Thailand that operates under the Prakochaban Foundation. Founded by Laithongrein Meepan in 2005, the project is registered as a non-profit organization. It can be found at the Royal Elephant Kraal, which was historically a compound where elephants were captured and kept, which was a privilege of the king of Thailand. At the Kraal old elephants are retired from work, and they have one of the largest breeding programs in the world. The term “kraal” means “an inclosure into which are driven wild elephants which are to be tamed and educated,” according to the 1913 Websters dictionary.