Surapong needs to study elephant history
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Re: Myanmar turns down Thai request for white elephant, National, June 20, 2013.
The news that Myanmar turned down Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul’s request to borrow a white elephant to display in Chiang Mai zoo was interesting.
It shows Surapong was incognizant of the role of elephants in Thailand and Myanmar.
According to history, during the Ayuthaya period, a Burmese king, who had not a single white elephant to show his greatness, asked for one from several in Siam’s possession as a gift. When Siam refused, he attacked Ayuthaya, burned it, and took all the white elephants that Siam possessed.
Hence, Surapong’s request to borrow a white elephant from Myanmar to put on display in a zoo in Chiang Mai risked being seen as very impolite and undiplomatic.
Our foreign minister should study more history as it is.
Vint Chavala
Lamphun
