Elephants in Thailand are an integral part of the kingdom. For Thais, these majestic animals are a symbol of deity. However, even elephants can be cute, not just purring-squeaky wads of fur. We are in a hurry to share with you interesting facts about elephants in Thailand. Elephants are one of the most remarkable animals, and this is not due to their size. The developed intelligence of gray giants is of interest to tourists looking for a personal meeting with them. So the question is, «How many elephants are there in Thailand?» — asks almost every traveler who is heading to this country for the first time. The first meeting with this animal always causes a storm of emotions: children’s delight mixed with fear. Elephants are very smart, understand people perfectly and are social, which cannot but attract attention. They are prone to emotions: in a good mood they like to joke, in the depressed they become pensive and gloomy, and during the mating season they can be slightly inadequate. Thanks to their excellent sense of rhythm, they easily memorize music. Often elephants in Thailand entertain themselves by dancing to certain motives that can only be heard by themselves.
A huge number of religious rituals are associated with elephants in Thailand. Ganesha — the Hindu god of wisdom and prosperity — has the head of an elephant. Therefore, animals among Thais not only cause sacred awe, but also enjoy respect and love. Elephants are considered the national symbol of Thailand, representing the king, people and religious spirit. Until 1917, his image was on the national flag, now — on the naval flag. For almost all of history, elephants in Thailand have been used as vehicles and for building roads in the jungle. In battle, they have a psychological effect on the enemy, since they cease to distinguish between their own and others because of fear and rage. Today, elephants act as artists in various shows, and riding them has become an integral part of the excursion program. Such entertainment is very popular with tourists, but despite this, in the hard-to-reach and remote areas of Thailand, these huge animals are still used as brute force to do hard work… (read more)
TO WATCH PHOTOS: (5 pictures)
READ MORE