Celebrations mark Elephant Day
To mark National Thai Elephant Day yesterday, the owner of an elephant kraal in Ayutthaya urged the government to seriously tackle elephantrelated issues, while Lampang and Chiang Rai hosted meritmaking rituals. Thailand has about 5,000 elephants left.
Ayutthaya kraal owner Laithongrien Meepan also took four elephants – two dressed as war elephants and two painted like pandas – to the City Hall, bearing signs reading: “Today we’re beggars. In the past we served in battles to restore the nation.”
In Lampang’s Hang Chat district, Thai Elephant Conservation Centre officials, members of the public and 30 elephants attended the morning alms offering to nine monks, followed by elephantrelated rituals, a ceremony to confer awards on outstanding mahouts, photographtaking and a feast for the elephants.
In Chiang Rai’s Muang district, Kariang Ruammit Ville, the province’s only elephantraising village, held a ritual to ask for blessings from 32 elephants and their mahouts, attended by Thai and foreign tourists. It was followed by a feast of fruit for the elephants. The village’s elephant camp, offering elephant riding services, was closed for the day.
