Elephant parade ends in huge feast
A grand parade of 290 elephants, who were later treated to a feast of vegetables and fruits was held on Friday morning as part of “Amazing Surin Elephant” 2017, an annual festival dedicated to the pachyderms.
The animals performed shows for a cheering crowd of Thais and foreigners, who also enjoyed cultural shows by local artists and yongsters.
The magnificent elephant parade, which featured music and schoolchildren performing dances, started at 9am at the Surin railway station and ended at the Phraya Surin Phakdi Si Narong Changwang (Pum) Monument, where Surin governor Atthaporn Singhawichai presided over the opening ceremony and a ritual to worship supernatural forces.
The event’s other highlight, spread over a 500-metre section of road, was held at the end of the parade and featured a “buffet of 50 tonnes of fruits and vegetables” for the elephants.
Surin’s first annual elephant round-up was held in 2000 and is known globally as a unique cultural event that attracts many visitors to the province.
The 2003 round-up’s buffet for elephant was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest feast held for elephants.
The event ends on Sunday (November 19).