Shortly after the State Visit of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II and H.R.H. Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh to Thailand in 1996, H.M. Queen Sirikit announced her intention to initiate an elephant reintroduction project, to offer an alternative future for domestic elephants, one in which they will live out their remaining life in the forest, away from humans, as nature intended.

The reintroduction process started on 14th January 1997 when Her Majesty Queen Sirikit released the first three elephants - Bualoi, Boonmee and Malai. The second release of two elephants - Sangwan and Khamnoi, was made by Her Majesty on 10th February 1998. Then on 19th February 1999 Her Majesty also released Khammoon and Plaisong. In 2000, Her Majesty presided over the entry of a further 16 elephants into the release programme, and in 2001, H.M. Queen Margarethe and H.R.H. Prince Henrik of Denmark (President of WWF Denmark) released one additional elephant, Boonrawd.

On 13 May 2002, H.R.H Prince Philip granted an audience to the Thai Prime Minister H.E. Taksin Shinawatra, at Buckingham Palace. HRH discussed elephant conservation in Thailand with the Prime Minister, and praised the initiative of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, in starting the reintroduction project. H.R.H Prince Philip wrote a letter to Queen Sirikit, offering WWFs support to establish the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, and the Foundation was legally registered on August 9th 2002.

· Support a systematic and effective approach to returning domestic elephant to the wild
· Campaign for a better understanding and caring approach to elephant conservation
· Support review of law and regulations concerning proper protection and management of elephants
· Build international collaboration to solve elephant problems