Elephants in Thailand are an integral part of the kingdom. For Thais, these magnificent animals are a symbol of deity. However, even elephants can be cute, and not just purring-squealing lumps of fur. We are glad to share with you interesting facts about elephants in Thailand.
First meeting
Elephants are one of the most remarkable animals, and this is not due to their size at all. The developed intelligence of the gray giants is of interest to tourists looking for a personal meeting with them. Therefore, the question: "How many elephants are in Thailand?" - Asked by almost every traveler traveling to this country for the first time.
The first encounter with this animal always causes a storm of emotions: children's delight mixed with fear. Elephants are very smart, they understand people and socially, which cannot but attract attention.
They are prone to emotions: in a good mood they like to joke, in a depressed mood they become thoughtful and gloomy, and in the mating season they can be slightly inadequate. Thanks to the excellent sense of rhythm, they easily memorize music. Often, elephants in Thailand entertain themselves by dancing to certain motives, heard only by himself.
History and Legends
With elephants in Thailand, a huge number of religious rituals are associated. Ganesha - the Hindu god of wisdom and prosperity - has the head of an elephant. Therefore, animals in Thais not only cause holy awe, but also enjoy respect and love.
Elephants are considered the national symbol of Thailand, which is the personification of the king, people and religious spirit. Until 1917, its image was on the national flag, now - on the naval flag.
Throughout almost all history, elephants in Thailand have been used as vehicles and to lay roads in the jungle. In battle, they have a psychological effect on the enemy, because they cease to distinguish their own from strangers because of fear and rage.
Today, elephants act as artists in various shows, and riding on them has become an integral part of the excursion program. Such entertainments are very popular among tourists, but, despite this, in the inaccessible and distant areas of Thailand, these huge animals are still used as brute force to perform hard work.
Royal white elephants
One of the symbols of the king’s power in Thailand is considered a white elephant. The head of state is the owner of all albino animals according to one of the special laws. A citizen who has found and transferred such an elephant to the palace receives lifelong maintenance, which is why they are considered symbols of incredible luck. The Royal Department of Forestry by decree of 1963 secured the status of the main national animal for white elephants.
Albinos - Chang Samkhan - are surrounded by love and great attention, the most comfortable conditions are created for them. State institutions include a special one whose main task is to ensure the maintenance of white elephants. Animals are used only during religious ceremonies in which members of the royal family take part.
Everyday life
The exact number of elephants in Thailand is almost impossible to calculate (experts say about 3-4 thousand), but they play a huge role in the country's daily life. One of the national traditions is the use of the animal’s physical strength in construction and agricultural work. For movement in the jungle, elephants are the best transport.
Unlike their albino counterparts, gray elephants do not boast so much. They live on special farms and work all their lives: from the age of fourteen to the age of sixty. Despite this, ordinary citizens of the country can rightly envy these huge animals: the rights of the gray giants and the rules for their application are devoted to a separate chapter of the constitution.
For example, each of the elephants has personal health insurance, and the length of their working day cannot exceed eight hours. The maximum working age is 60 years, but not all of them survive to retirement: the elephant age lasts only 55 years.
Elephants in Thailand are even paid a pension: it is equal to 5000 baht. Such an amount is a dream even of pet owners, but it is justified by their appetites. A day they need a huge amount of green mass - about 7% of body weight.
Despite all the love, worship and respect, gray elephants are considered working cattle. Due to this, they can be purchased if desired. The cost of a giant depends on age, weight and degree of training. On average, the price varies from 1 to 3 thousand dollars.
Education and training of elephants
The elephant childhood is short: at the age of three they are weaned from their mother and begin to train. The connection formed between the animal and the drover can be called kindred: a small elephant calf follows his man everywhere. Its upbringing in complexity is no different from the upbringing of a child, requiring not only physical, but also mental strength. The classic method is the “carrot and stick” method, in which a bamboo pole with a sickle-shaped metal tip acts. Violence is extremely rare. There are several different schools for teaching elephants, in which animals are taught voice commands.
Elephant Day in Thailand
Thai Elephant Day is celebrated every year on March 13th. In each city of the country, large solemn processions take place, the protagonists of which are sacred animals, decorated with bright blankets and blooming garlands. All elephants are attracted to them - from the smallest to senior citizens. The elephant festival in Thailand ends with a grand feast, the main treats of which are vegetarian dishes - vegetables, fruits and peaches, watermelons and pineapples frozen in ice cubes.
Celebrations from ancient times attracted a huge number of people. Indigenous people express their respect and love to elephants, and tourists are happy to see such a rare sight. During the holiday, replenish the fund for the protection of large and eared symbols of Thailand.
