After graduating from Chiang Mai Rajabhat University with an Arts degree, Lek worked in the tourism industry where she witnessed the mistreatment and suffering of many elephants and began to provide medical aid to elephants in remote villages. In the 1990’s, Lek started rescuing injured, neglected, and elderly elephants, and in 2003 was able to establish a permanent homeland for them in the beautiful Mae Taeng valley, near Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. Today, Elephant Nature Park is home to over 100 elephants who are finally able to live free from abuse within family herds and develop close friendships with one another. Elephants at the park are not required to work, do not perform tricks, and are not ridden. Instead, they are allowed to live a more natural, dignified life where they are respected.

Lek has worked tirelessly to raise international awareness about the plight of both captive and wild Asian elephants. She has been influential in improving the lives of hundreds of elephants in Asia through the work of Save Elephant Foundation, which educates elephant owners and helps them to transition away from elephant riding, performances, and other harmful practices, and instead, adopt the Saddle Off model based on compassion, understanding, and respect. In a male-dominated industry steeped in tradition and resistant to change, Lek’s desire to improve the living conditions of captive Asian elephants has required great courage, pragmatism, and perseverance.