March is the month of the Thai elephants. National Thai Elephant Day was established by the Thai government in 1998. It’s annually celebrated on March 13, the anniversary, when the white elephant was added to the old version of the Thai flag.
Elephants are a source of national pride and cultural identity for Thailand.
Elephants have always been a part of the history of Thailand. Despite the fact that elephants are protected in Thailand, their population have vastly declined in the last century. Nowadays, about 3,000-4,000 elephants live in Thailand, most of them are held in captivity.
Thailand held a fruit banquet for dozens of elephants in the ancient capital Ayutthaya on Saturday, continuing an annual event that has been a big draw for foreign tourists in the hope they will return soon and revive the key tourism industry.
