Paul Barton, an English artist and musician, has always been fond of animals. He relocated to Thailand in 1996 in search of a fresh and different experience. He planned to stay there for only approximately three months. He fell in love with the strange place and a woman who loved animals.

Khwan, who later became his adored wife, is an animal activist and wildlife artist. Their shared affection has encouraged Barton to become more involved in Thailand’s animal activist group.

Elephants have always played an important role in Thai culture and tourism. Previously, Thailand’s teak wood was in such high demand among people all over the globe that large corporations hacked down tons of trees with little regard for the creatures living in the woods. That is why, between 1975 and 1986, the nation saw rapid deforestation.

Barton learned about the key era and realized that elephants suffered the most. The logging businesses forced them to carry massive logs, frequently inflicting scratches and wounds on their bodies along the way.

In 1989, the Thai government officially banned loggers. However, the elephant tragedy was far from done; these poor animals have now lost the woodlands where they live.

Animal lovers and enthusiasts got together to construct a sanctuary for these tortured elephants, a location that is close to their former home, where they can be secure, cared for, and free to roam as they wish.

Barton visited one of these sanctuaries, Elephant World, and fell instantly in love with the gorgeous beasts. Being near the elephants enlightens Barton about their emotional nature, prompting him to launch a program named Music for Elephants. He could share his passion for music with them by performing classical piano compositions.

Barton told Coconuts Bangkok that the first time he played the piano at Elephants World, a blind elephant named Plara stood closest to him. When he first heard the music, he stopped eating his banana grass for breakfast. He sat there in astonishment, listening to the music until it ended.

Barton once had an emotional meeting with one of the elephants. The tape showed him performing Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” for an elephant who has faced numerous challenges in her life. Amphan, an 80-year-old elephant, is blind in one eye and can hardly see in the other.

Watch the video here.