New Monograph by Alisa Santikarn explores the Heritage and Identity of Thailand’s Last Elephant Catchers

We’re excited to share the publication of a new book by our team member Alisa Santikarn, Indigenous Heritage and Identity of the Last Elephant Catchers in Northeast Thailand.

For generations, the Kui Ajiang community in Northeast Thailand were known for their incredible skills in catching and caring for elephants. But by the 1950s, this centuries-old practice began to fade. When Mew Salangam, one of the last known “elephant doctors,” passed away in 2019 at the age of 91, many across Thailand reflected on the end of an era.

In her book, Alisa looks at what happens when such important traditions come to an end. How does a community hold onto its identity and heritage when a practice that shaped daily life for so long is no longer possible? Through the story of the Kui Ajiang, she explores bigger questions about Thai history, cultural heritage, and how government policies around the environment and conservation have impacted Indigenous communities.

Alisa also introduces the idea of Authorised Environmental Discourse (AED)—building on the well-known concept of Authorised Heritage Discourse (AHD)—to explain how official ideas about nature and culture can sometimes clash with the ways local communities understand and protect their own heritage.

Indigenous Heritage and Identity of the Last Elephant Catchers in Northeast Thailand is a fascinating look at the connections between people, place, and tradition, and how communities adapt in the face of change.

To learn more about the book, please click here.