OUR STORY · MAE CHAEM, NORTHERN THAILAND
Relationships
before itineraries.
For P’Ann, these journeys begin with home.
Hand2Trunk grew from a connection to the people, forests and everyday life of Mae Chaem — and a belief in what we can learn from one another.
Meet the person behind the journeys ↓
TIDARAT “ANN” JITSOOK · FOUNDER
A small village.
A wider world.
Ann grew up in Kong Kheak, near Mae Chaem and Doi Inthanon. There was no electricity in her childhood home; she did her homework by candlelight.
A German volunteer teaching English opened a window onto languages and life beyond her village. That encounter helped shape her curiosity about the wider world — and the possibilities that come from meeting people whose lives are different from our own.
Her father was a mahout. Elephants, forests and local knowledge were part of the world she knew, long before they became part of the journeys she would share with others.
Sharing the place
she calls home.
Ann founded Hand2Trunk from pride in and commitment to her community, so visitors could learn from local people and support the communities behind each experience.
Her experience includes working with elephants, supporting students in classrooms in three international schools, learning with older generations in Mae Chaem and working with GIVE, particularly its elephant programme.
Today, she brings together local partners, educational content, logistics and guide training to shape each journey. Forests and wildlife, local livelihoods and opportunities for rural communities remain central to her motivation.
Participant safety and wellbeing matter to Ann’s approach. Practical arrangements are discussed with each group as part of planning.
How we approach planning togetherDifferent knowledge.
A shared spirit.
Local people are partners, hosts, educators and experts.
Ann brings warmth, humour and practical care to a team built on enduring relationships. Guides, mahouts, teachers, farmers and craftspeople each bring their own experience and perspective.
Hand2Trunk curates and coordinates the whole educational journey through these relationships. The people sharing their knowledge help shape what participants learn.
“We're like a curry — lots of different spices and flavours, but put us together and we make something delicious.”— P’Ann, on the team
Local people
lead the learning.
People like P’Dee
A mahout and local village guide, P’Dee shares knowledge rooted in his community. He has twice spoken at the National University of Singapore about elephants and conservation in his community.
“When you come to our village, you are not outside our community — you become part of it. We open our homes and our hearts to you.”— P’Dee
A journey might begin with elephants, but the conversations reach further: livelihoods, culture, conservation and the relationships between people and the natural world.
“They are so welcoming and ready to teach and share their amazing knowledge with you.”— Cameron R
Wyn: coffee, forests and community
Wyn’s father introduced him to coffee. Today, Wyn carries that work forward in a local partner community, developing his craft across planting, harvesting, processing and roasting.
“The best part about growing coffee is that it’s like planting and protecting the forest, while keeping our water sources healthy. I really want to inspire more locals to start growing coffee so our community can have richer forests and cleaner watersheds. In the end, I just want the whole world to try the coffee from our community!”— Wyn
EXPERIENCE THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER
Welcoming learners
from across the world.
Since 2018, we have welcomed more than 400 participants through our partnership with GIVE, primarily university students from the United States, alongside participants from other countries and backgrounds.
Hand2Trunk has also hosted international school groups from Japan.
Each new group brings different questions. The starting point stays the same: come and learn with a community, not simply visit one.
Explore a journey for your schoolLET’S START WITH A CONVERSATION
Where could curiosity
take your students?
Tell us about your group, your hopes and the learning you’d like to bring to life.
Start planning your journey