Samphran Elephant Ground & Zoo

Elephants were chained up. They had them carrying people up and down steep mountain paths that were not comfortable for the elephant. It seems like you could gain a better experience of not hurting the elephant by having customers bareback on them, and not having the elephants going up and down steep paths.

The sadest young, little elephants in chains. I went with my Thai family to see the zoo and it was the saddest experience I had in decades. The zoo is beyond bad in respecting and treating the animals ethically good. Monkeys, lions in too small, tiny cages and the saddest were the young elephants in chains. When you have seen the rescued and free elephants in the sanctuaries in the North and in the South and than see into the sad eyes of the chained young elephants that get hit during the show, that just makes you cry, sad and angry. Dear Samphran Team, rethink, respect and start doing good for the animals. You can do better! I just hope that the smallest and saddest elephant will get rescued soon. All tourists, please don't go there and instead support the ethical elephant sancturaries. Just some meters away is an organic farm - Samphran take that as inspiration! Elephants are the national symbol of luck in Thailand and they should be lucky as well.

I would rate this 0 if possible. Animals kept in abhorrent conditions. Bleached out brown bear in a dirty and hot algae filled pool that comes over to people and begs for food. Miserable and sick looking sun bear in a concrete cage smaller than a studio apartment in 100 degree weather. Drugged tigers for tourists to take pictures with. Elephants chained to posts with a 6 foot tether between every-hour performances. Elephant rides that injure them. An orangutan pulling on its leg chain attached to a stage while waiting to take photos with tourists. Crocodiles stored in the hundreds in a tiny space in the middle of the park. This place is a house of horrors. Aside from all that the park itself is in incredibly poor shape. I was taken there 20 years ago and when I returned to take my niece 15 years later it looked like almost nothing had been taken care of. I can't believe this terrible place is still even open.

Sampran Zoo is home to many animals such as crocodiles, elephants, monkeys, and many more. There are many interesting shows that are fun to watch and enjoy seeing the abilities of those animals. There is a photo corner and food souvenirs at affordable prices. Very suitable for going as a family to do activities together.