The Elephant Story

The Final Chapter of a Foolish Vietnam War

Jul 06, 2020 | 0 comments

The familiar, humiliating image below of the roof of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon on April 30, 1975 is one many people who were around in those days will recall. Following the signing of the Paris Peace Agreement on January 27, 1973 between the United States, The Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam), The Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) and The Republic of South Vietnam (PRG--which represented the Viet Cong in South Vietnam), the U.S. agreed to withdraw its combat forces from Vietnam. At that time, the government of South Vietnam controlled 80% of the territory and 90% of the...

A Gentleman in Laos Long Ago

Jun 29, 2020 | 0 comments

We have long talked about the illegal war in Laos and the impact it had on many of us. There were legal complications that few could have envisioned. As Esso was engaged in a profitable business brought about by an illegal war, they chose to keep no financial records in Laos should the country be overrun by the bad guys and their role exposed. On the other hand, Lao law required that anyone doing business in Laos was obliged to keep their accounting records in Laos so as to be available for immediate audit and scrutiny by the Lao Ministry...

The Purity of A White Rose

Jun 22, 2020 | 0 comments

Jack Anderson of the Washington Post published an article in 1969 regarding the war in Laos. He ignored the fact that the war was illegal though he claimed “rampant contractor corruption” in its execution. Forget the fact that U.S. forces had been illegally seconded in Laos carrying United States Agency of International Development (humanitarian) identity cards, though they were directing guerilla and mercenary armies to fight and drop bombs. The shocking headline was Esso, where the author worked at the time, was accused of bribing the U.S. Government Naval Inspector with women. The alleged objective was to overlook safety measures...

Air America Serves Hard Rice and Hot Soup

Jun 15, 2020 | 0 comments

In May 1997, at the unveiling of the Air America Memorial at The University of Texas Dallas McDermott Library at Richardson, former CIA director William Colby, said that Air America aircraft were not combat aircraft but only used as transport aircraft. However, Dr. Joe F. Leeker, obtained sufficient visual documentation in the very library dedicated by Colby to prove otherwise. Most of the images were taken by Air America personnel as there were no correspondents in the neighborhood. Unlike the conflict in Vietnam, the secret war in Laos did not welcome the news media. In fact, to leave the capital...

Living in an Imaginary World Without Borders

Jun 08, 2020 | 0 comments

A further illustration of "living on the edge" is imagining that identity papers are not required for international travel to difficult places. Granted, papers are always good if needed and you can obtain them. However, over the years, a general rule has evolved and that is - know the place well and understand the consequences of not having them. The first example of traveling without papers was a quiet boat crossing of the Mekong River into Laos on either side of "the troubles." That particular visit went upside down when Lao Force Army Royale military tracked down the only paleface...

From Russia to Their Former Vassel State of Mongolia

Jun 01, 2020 | 0 comments

A good friend and famous Mongolian author once said, “As far as bad neighbors are concerned, Mongolia is very fortunate.” Being surrounded by Russia and China can be a very precarious position for any state that seeks political freedom. Mongolia had maintained some small measure of independence into the 20th century with considerable Russian influence and in 1921 became the second communist country in the world following the lead of Russia. Russia dominated the country while sponsoring Mongolia to become a member of the United Nations in 1961. Having an independent country recognized by the UN provided Russia with a...

The Elephant Story Children's Collection

May 27, 2020 | 0 comments

Explore our children's collection and discover a treasure trove of Asian culture and elephant themed clothes, books and toys.

Texan Takes on Perm, Russia

May 25, 2020 | 0 comments

Most trips to Perm began with an early morning departure from the Moscow Aerostar Hotel which was the closest decent place to stay to the airport. A relevant premise in any edgy place is plan your exit and be as close to it as possible. It was at this hotel that the brutality of Russia was evident when a senior Russian government individual’s bodyguard took his body and pushed a surprised westerner against the wall as we walked together down a hall. That is protection at his most basic level. The first of many two-hour Aeroflot flights from Moscow...

Oil in Edgy Places: Chapter One Moscow In The 1990’s

May 18, 2020 | 0 comments

As the late sixties, early seventies may have been considered edgy times given the previously described hunting escapades in Thailand and life in various war zones, the ensuing years were perhaps equally exciting though directed to finding oil in countries that had previously been off- limits for political reasons. The simple motto was “be the first to the table for the best selection.” The initial adventure was Russia in the early nineties. Following Boris Yeltsin’s rise in power upon dissolution of the Former Soviet Union, he embarked on a course to privatize the state industries by issuing vouchers to Russian...

Hunting in Thailand-Living on the Edge

May 11, 2020 | 0 comments

Recently, a fellow director in our London office said that the guy shown in the image below seemed to enjoy "living on the edge" when the director was told of a recent experience in Thailand that required contentious testimony in native Thai language against a Thai general in a guardianship trial. Whereas, it may seem that way, it has always been by accident and not by design. An old friend, Bob Wollam, recently sent a handful of ancient photos that were taken on some of our hunting trips in Thailand in the late sixties and early seventies. I was there...

Don't Forget to Wash Your Hands

May 05, 2020 | 0 comments

Fragrant and Moisture Rich Glycerin Soaps from Thailand The Elephant Story's all-natural glycerin soap has no synthetic ingredients allowing it to be both moisturizing and effective for all different types of skin, even the most sensitive. The Elephant Story glycerin soaps naturally moisturize your skin. Unlike some soaps that dry your skin out and make it feel tight and even flaky, our glycerin soap keeps your skin feeling hydrated throughout the day. Follow Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way Washing your hands is easy - and it's one of the most effective ways to prevent...

Vietnam Elephant Whisperers Are Long Gone

May 04, 2020 | 0 comments

Our company has had over twenty years of successful commercial involvement in Vietnam. Therefore, we decided to create a Vietnam-themed meeting room in our London office and honor distinguished Vietnamese women in the history of their country. Minh Anh Nguyen, a Vietnamese member of our staff, is shown on the far right next to Jann Brown with Mike Watts on the far left, Managing Directors, as they hosted two Vietnamese executives from Petro Vietnam. When asked the most appropriate Vietnamese women to honor, Minh Anh immediately proposed the Trung sisters. Trung Trac and her sister, Trung Nhi, led a...

The Elephant Story Cooking Apron

May 02, 2020 | 0 comments

Bring the luck of the elephant to your kitchen with our versatile apron that offers stain-release protection, generous pockets, long waist ties and an adjustable neck strap. Pair your apron with our unique collection of tabletop and kitchen cooking tools. They are made of exotic woods from the Far East such as coconut wood, sugar palm wood and tembusu wood. The Elephant Story Apron $24.00 Wood Elephant Spice Dishes $3.50 ea. Wood Elephant Salt and Pepper Set $65.00 Wood Salad Serving Set $17.50 Shallow Slotted Wood Serving Spoon $9.50 Wood Elephant Bread Board/Trivet $24.00 ...

Spice Up Your Soup

May 01, 2020 | 0 comments

With most of us staying at home, we have had extra time on our hands to do the things we've always wanted to do but just never did. This seems to be the perfect time to try some of these delicious and easy-to-prepare soups from all over Southeast Asia. Throughout Southeast Asia, soups and broths are designed to refresh the palate. Bowls of steaming broth are often served alongside the main course so diners can taste a spoonful of soup in between your rice or the main dish. This great cookbook will help you create some of...

Technology to Combat the Spread of COVID-19

Apr 27, 2020 | 0 comments

On January 27,2020, we came down to our breakfast dining area in a wonderful hotel in Bangkok to discover that the guests from Wuhan, China had left the previous evening. It turns out that they had fled Wuhan several weeks before as the rampant spread of the disease was generally known there at that time, despite the failure of the Government of China to alert the world of the future pandemic. On the other hand, all of the signs and coverage of the impending pandemic quickly became apparent though the western world chose to ignore the viral tidal wave ahead....

Unique One-of-a-Kind Gifts

Apr 24, 2020 | 0 comments

A gift from The Elephant Story is sure to be unique. With all products coming from Asian countries, the majority of our products come from fair trade artisans and indigenous hill tribes who depend on the sales of their crafts as their sole support. Hand Painted Mekong River Rock These river rocks are collected from the shore of the Mekong River in Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai Thailand and hand painted with acrylic paint to resemble elephants. The artist utilizes the natural shape of each rock to create a unique work of art. $20.00 INJIRI Clothing Handmade in India,...

Trunk Up or Trunk Down?

Apr 21, 2020 | 0 comments

Trunk Up or Trunk Down? There are many superstitions associated with the elephant. Their ability to bring good luck is captured in the replicas of elephants and the trunk plays a major role in the superstitions regarding elephants. Some people believe the trunks up bring good luck. Others believe the trunk down will bring good luck. Predominate superstitions in Western cultures indicate that the trunk of an ornamental elephant should always be facing upwards and in Eastern cultures it should be facing downwards for it to bring good fortune on the house in which it resides. However in Thailand,...

The Mighty Mekong River Will Soon Become the Stream at Its Origin

Apr 20, 2020 | 0 comments

The word Mekong means “Mother of Rivers” in the Lao language. In fact, the French colonized the land-locked, impoverished country of Laos thinking it would link them with the believed riches of China. However, as the image below at the river’s source illustrates, it takes a long time meandering its way down from its modest beginning as a glacial stream in the Tibetan Plateau until it reaches Laos. The resultant river becomes the Mekong River when it crosses the border between China and Myanmar. It passes through six countries before it drains into the South China Sea. The upper reaches...

Two Neighbors with Two Approaches to COVID-19

Apr 13, 2020 | 0 comments

On February 5, 2020, “yours truly” boarded a Thai International flight from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Most people were fully cognizant of COVID-19 but had no comprehension of what loomed ahead. The Thai flight was reasonably normal with some masks and an early morning meal service that included champagne if you liked-we are not here for a long time but a good time which gets shorter by the virus day. As there was little air traffic, we landed early and, upon reaching the temperature check prior to entering immigration, there was one man being restrained by force...

Helping Elephants

Apr 11, 2020 | 0 comments

Helping Elephants Some many years ago, we began our interaction with elephants in the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Refuge. At that particular time, the elephants and their owners were encouraged to leave the streets of major Thai cities and relocate in a natural habitat in the Golden Triangle where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar join. At this particular time, there are 21 elephants and their owners that reside in this natural habitat. However, financial support to them has dwindled given the COVID-19 virus for which all of us are suffering in one way or another. The Elephant...