--- title: "Elephants, Pineapples, and Farmers, Oh My: A travel journey through Thailand with Allie Keating" description: Follow SSA team member Allie on her cause-driven trip to Thailand in collaboration with Bring the Elephant Home and Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. image: https://blog.thessagroup.com/hubfs/banner-allie.png --- [Skip to content](https://blog.thessagroup.com/elephants-pineapples-and-farmers-oh-mya-travel-journey-through-thailand-with-allie-keating#main-content) [![SSAGroup-2026Logo-Black](https://blog.thessagroup.com/hubfs/Assets%20-%20June2026/images/SSAGroup-2026Logo-Black.svg)](https://thessagroup.com/) - [Who We Are](https://thessagroup.com/who-we-are/) - [Our Services](https://thessagroup.com/what-we-do/) - [Industries We Serve](https://thessagroup.com/what-we-do/) - News & Insights - [Blog](https://blog.thessagroup.com) - [Case Studies](https://landing.thessagroup.com/case-studies-ssa-group) - [Careers](https://thessagroup.com/careers/) [Talk to Our Team](https://thessagroup.com/contact/) # Elephants, Pineapples, and Farmers, Oh My: A travel journey through Thailand with Allie Keating [SSA Group](https://blog.thessagroup.com/author/ssa-group) January 14th , 2025 ![\Elephants, Pineapples, and Farmers, Oh My: A travel journey through Thailand with Allie Keating\](https://blog.thessagroup.com/hubfs/banner-allie.png) Hi everyone! My name is Allie. I recently had the opportunity to travel to Ruam Thai Village in Thailand on behalf of SSA to collaborate with Bring the Elephant Home (BTEH), alongside Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. My experiences below capture some thoughts and photos from my trip. This collaboration aimed to strengthen relationships between our organizations and learn from our partners' community-driven, coexistence-focused conservation efforts. Through moments in the field, watching elephants in their natural home, and connecting with the community, I gained a deeper appreciation for the community-based conservation work Bring Home the Elephant is doing.  Here’s a little look at what I experienced while there; 1. **Arrival/First Impressions** "Our first day in Ruam Thai was a beautiful introduction to a resilient farming community that has been impacted by elephants trampling their crops. We were welcomed with open arms, treated to traditional Thai dishes, marigold wreaths, music and dancing. Witnessing how BTEH has worked with the community to support its coexistence with Kui Buri's wild elephants shows the inspiring impact of a community-based approach to conservation.” ![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfxCv2gQ_4ApItcfyciVuJEd3JfTW9ffjuggIs4pXkNrX3AoCXrM-oIccfe8_HdRkHgv5GbG8AQU_nlcAg8I_fmVQgDnKip9Y49t9KPzLN4fYD7KqysoLT7gWItBH-Xl90xSfnv?key=tnn-lAH3jdFJvJSQeA5GZvQf)    ![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfEcx4djvBQYsdkEpT-vk-A2wSKbORK4U6yNlTk6sPTdC9jh0hIx0FccVIm7i9EfeDn_oZqfUbKSq66fBjViFBKJYL5IZJSFaenMALFSz73rP0iOQv4nOcx2QX34f1sYN1Waagg?key=tnn-lAH3jdFJvJSQeA5GZvQf)    ![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfzRN990--TPFEIJRM5-_Sj5nAwbTnUdYhdTosrXtMSuJyukao2TnBbTBUictCz5CaVYL5mzgCb3DwxYIMxPvtlcjfs6uwPmaWx89LQ6RS154pV69HPYvKq-6ReEf6d2ImI6QhI7g?key=tnn-lAH3jdFJvJSQeA5GZvQf) --- 1. **Meeting the Tom Yum Farmers** Spending time with the Tom Yum Project farmers in Ruam Thai, a village just outside Kui Buri National Park where the elephants live, I saw firsthand the grit it takes to live in harmony with these amazing animals. Through the Tom Yum Project, supported by the conservation NGO BTEH, farmers grow alternative crops that elephants tend to avoid, protecting both their livelihoods and the elephants. Their work isn’t just about growing crops—it’s about building a future where the community and elephants can thrive.” ![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXc38kMdVGzv6VYlTD0e6Rs4qFbJeT5cq5EFDYwlj8pb2LGVUYixbFf1hUV-9SYrPVSJMC_Xb2YPVps516JoiUx5fIRDkhNRwITY3O7BXzrome0IQS0D95iKfAoBEJuN4sMsfDFu?key=tnn-lAH3jdFJvJSQeA5GZvQf)    ![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfbmQ6dC2J2GphZP27Sgsg4lPAvpHtvpH2Ht0WnTolv_pEbgcXVlqlNW3MTQJ0h-vMiC4YhRL26WXwlEfdIAiM0tBUxE6QNdzddQ5hEFKmS5huCXDCozGfkoMuJZLF0XZ2nWYbnZA?key=tnn-lAH3jdFJvJSQeA5GZvQf).   ![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfIUCKmOVX3e4tkOMjJEOxgKHv-QUZqAcX8Qp4oEwoPXiDYmRSlYxZeh2YJjDPLj3ZfW76j4JqbtOIhZB0CrNrDQYSEqc0C-GHftR0KEYx9lT7ptYwh1Odt_uwsmPAuG31U86WB?key=tnn-lAH3jdFJvJSQeA5GZvQf) --- 1. **Creating New Markets** "The community and BTEH have gotten quite creative with financially and ecologically sustainable solutions to alleviate the conflicts of traditional farming practices in their region. Instead of planting the pineapple that elephants love and inevitably trample, they have created a market for other native crops and are working on expanding that market to encourage more farmers to partake in the Tom Yum Project.  Some community members have also begun trialing beehive fences, inspired by research on African Elephants. These fences aim to deter elephants while offering a potential secondary income stream from honey production. Traditional fences don't pose much of a barrier for elephants, therefore BTEH and some community members have installed beehive perimeters around crop fences as a trial, similar to what is being studied in African Elephants. The hope is that bees will act as a safe, effective deterrent for elephants and produce an additional income stream for farmers. There is still a lot of research and collaboration to be done on all of these projects, but it was so exciting to see these ideas taking root and becoming invaluable allies in the conservation field.”   ![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcnQ6Nj50ckrhTrPhD_xsX7VeX3qdTqDnEKxUoKtBVoxuHOruHBgLHFrPjcDhupSwOHuUy1CNM9maQDsFJgKyAIjTi7JZhqkigFN3tblsa3fL4GVa_AxREb3jphIR_J94kUwkYlqg?key=tnn-lAH3jdFJvJSQeA5GZvQf)    ![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdzuBVPeyp8LHn14Rmcu9t8dF2hmR5y_wWzWqt2lGkY9s22z6ysUwfapuQXgbBgQaGWTk5Zhf28TunyI4goTBykEz9AqMDt9XFJUQxSPYtXRGGDuIv0cgXTYmh_RP4-HYKrJ5NR?key=tnn-lAH3jdFJvJSQeA5GZvQf).   ![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXd_4OoTkraeR_Nm-2m8Bme8T2woHztfo5YJ6x6C0UGLhkR5hBwpZBivncnd1jdrUGsJq3awTqFlEIN5tSk3AddWPgJ0n2COgKZV0AExa_PYHSZdgO2zpZBsBfXtXddD9vvG2S0aWg?key=tnn-lAH3jdFJvJSQeA5GZvQf) --- 1. **A Quiet Moment in Nature** "Conservation is about community—it’s about making meaningful changes and evolving human practices like those I’ve seen here in Ruam Thai. These moments remind me how vital our work is and how collaborative it has to be. Taking the time to deepen connections with our partners at the Zoo was so impactful. It reinforced what bonds and inspires us all: the shared commitment to conservation action. ![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeCd9jC3SnZi4WaW3fvCIjosIL_OO0e04f05XmhJJnO4gqnwNp6xpKtbgjN7Jm3JvaL1wjVXOiiMH1VeZ6OGE9g6Ghoj1bB8wfq0HmS8xL43Fm4fZIrVaID3sCWtjHFyEqawbppCA?key=tnn-lAH3jdFJvJSQeA5GZvQf).     ![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcqSPrLC60C0EQ-mI8BvpkAWL2AydlaH7p_1MTvN0n42CjN1K5R2uXReDczk0VoMf3IIKQdnsxX2ZxCFrT-4PwKxyyQKrLG631itraoo-RFAUZdwRMvTx8I3cydsfQdDYuGgdNh?key=tnn-lAH3jdFJvJSQeA5GZvQf) --- 1. **Closing Reflections** "As I packed my bags, I couldn’t help but feel profound gratitude for this experience— seeing firsthand the strength and resilience of the people in Ruam Thai and their dedication to living peacefully alongside their elephant neighbors. We all share a collective responsibility to preserve the delicate balance between nature and human livelihoods, and it all starts with building relationships.” ![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeyugo-Gbcmf_BkCsJUBi-wrucEOqzvEZ7TV8JlXAUrL2ENYeJFzODdmJ_Mp_e2JYLANbrmpbSPAFv72m2uzemcRfRN9dVruISqN3sJl6hwS6ika1RdyWbQDIG_kfdJqRutk9Lc?key=tnn-lAH3jdFJvJSQeA5GZvQf) Share ### About the Author #### SSA Group Stay Connected ## Enjoyed This Article? 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