My name is Kwan Samui, which means “good luck Samui.” I was born in 2011, so I’m fifteen years old.

My mummy is called Aom, and she also lives here at Samui Elephant Haven. She stays in the hilly area with my little brother, Perm Poon. He is very lucky because he still gets to live beside our mummy. I was taken away from her when I was the same age as Perm Poon, so you can imagine how small I was. Even so, I am very happy that he gets to stay close to her.

I was far too young to be separated from my mummy. I was made to stand still for many hours at a time, both in the rain and under the hot sun. I didn’t mind the rain—it felt cooling on my skin. Elephants have very sensitive skin, and we use mud like sunscreen to protect ourselves. But standing still all day left me alone with my thoughts, and I missed my mummy terribly. My heart felt heavy with sadness. I became so distressed that I would sway my head from side to side. I still do this sometimes, but much less than before.

One day, Maew came to rescue me. I trusted him straight away. He didn’t carry a bullhook—only lots of bananas. We arrived at the Haven under a sky full of stars, and my new mahout gently settled me into a peaceful sleeping enclosure for the night. I was scared, of course. Everything smelled different, and the other elephants were trumpeting nearby, but my mahout stayed close and helped me feel safe.

Today, I live in a group led by Granny Sudarat—the kindest grandma you could imagine. My friends Nong Pech and Moloair are part of the group too. We used to be a trio of little troublemakers, always playing and getting up to mischief together. These days, Moloair seems to be growing up faster than us. She doesn’t play as much anymore and has started acting more mature—sometimes even scolding Nong Pech and me when we’re being naughty.