Elephant: Symbol of Nation!!!

        Elephants in Thailand have always been at the center of Thai culture, history, and society. Elephants have been revered in Thailand for many centuries. The importance of the elephant even extended to that of being as a symbol of ultimate royal power in Thailand. Many a Thai king was judged by the amount of Royal White Elephants he owned, the more he owned, the more fearsome he was adjudged to be, as according to the nations Theravada Buddhismbeliefs they were seen as a sign of ultimate power, fertility, and success. Elephants are famous as the strongest beasts of burden, they were important in battle, with kings mounted on Elephants fighting the Burmese to defend Thailand on many occasions. They have also been noted for their intelligence, memory and pleasant nature. Especially, White elephants, in fact, are very rarely completely white. The skin has to be very pale in certain areas to qualify as a "white elephant".

A white elephant also appear on the flag of the Royal Thai navy.

In the past, wild elephants were caught and trained. The city of Mae Hong Sornwas founded as a stockade for newly caught elephants, since that region had a high elephant population. This century, the number of elephants has declined so rapidly that the entire domesticated stocks are one or more generations from their wild forebears. There are still a few thousand wild elephant in northern Thailand, in remote jungle south west of Chiangmai. In more recent times during the last century, elephants were engaged in the extraction of heavy teak logs from the forests. These were working elephants and they were sent into forest areas where machines would cause too much devastation. To have an elephant work in a disciplined fashion requires years of training. This begins when a baby elephant is 3 years old and sent to school.

          Nowadays, with the Thai timber industry in decline, the friendly elephant is seeing more and more of the millions of visitors who visit Thailand each year. They have adjusted well to being the center of tourist admiration they are happy to take the visitor for a ride a top that massive back or further field on a trekking expedition. The elephant is happy to entertain by demonstrating how it used to work by hauling and stacking logs Elephants are "team" player in such operation. It is also a team player when a friendly game of soccer. Just to show how unabashed they are in public, the elephant is happy to entertain by taking a bath in the nude. Likely as any creature, which gives its loyalty and devotion to humankind, the elephant loves affection and attention and gives the same in return to those who care for it. There are several sites, which have daily elephant shows. The closest is at Mae Sa, Chiangmai. Further field is Chiang Dao, Chiangmai; elephant camp.  Lampang is the Thai Elephant conservation Center. There is an excellent show tree times a day. At all the camps, after the show those interested can enjoy a ride by elephants as well.