Just down the road from Buri Ram, a

Just down the road from Buri Ram, also on the main railway line, is this crossroads where Lao, Khmer, Thai and Kui cultures converge; the provincial seal is the Hindu god Indra riding a sacred elephant before a Khmer-style shrine.

That sets the stage for Surin’s main act – a village where elephants are treated like members of the family. At Baan Ta Klang, many visitors do a homestay, learning to eat, sleep and live like locals.

At the Elephant Study Center, there are circus-like daily shows and elephant rides. For voluntourists, the new Surin Project is a spin-off of the Elephant Nature Foundation run by the famous conservationist Sangduen “Lek” Chailert.

The project requires paid volunteers to help with their new facilities for abused and abandoned tuskers, participating in basic elephant care.