Engaging the local community
One of the very concrete ways to support the children in Khao Sok, and much loved by our guests is the traditional Thai dance performance by the local students. Rotating between the schools, the students come to perform Thai dancing or “Ram Thai” as a part of our evening program. This is a wonderful way to maintain the important local traditions and for the children to meet people from all over the world and practice their English, whilst the earnings help to fund their studies.
Being part of Elephant Hills’ evening program gives the rural children a chance to be proud of their culture and to interact with tourists from various countries and cultural backgrounds. They are highly keen to introduce themselves in English, present their beautiful dresses and earnestly practiced choreographs – a little performance not to be missed!
In addition to various other activities, we run a project called Trees Can Talk, which teaches the young children the importance of conserving the forests and wildlife, and encourages them to think out of the box when it comes to respecting the nature in their everyday life. Every year ahead of National Children’s Day we arrange a writing contest for the students and reward the best essays on nature conservation.
The goal of the project is to encourage the children to care for their environment. It also inspires them to seek new ways of preserving the flora and fauna of their home – the unique Khao Sok National Park and its surroundings. Many students discuss and brainstorm ideas on their essays with their friends and at home with their families and relatives, which helps to create positive associations on nature conservation, and can initiate change in the older generations.