Poppy flowers sold in remembrance of veterans

AYUTTHAYA, Jan 23 (TNA) - To commemorate the heroic duties of war veterans and to raise funds for families of those killed, the War Veterans Organization of Thailand on Saturday began selling artificial red poppy flowers to people visiting the elephant camp in the former Thai capital of Ayutthaya. Led by Nanthawan Maekyai, chief of information department of the Organization, the sale attracted interest from the locals as well as from foreign tourists as a 13-year-old male elephant came in with a basket of poppy flowers and also drew a picture of a poppy flower on a canvas. The picture was later sold to a tourist, while the proceeds will go to the Organization to help the veterans. Poppy flowers are for sale from January 28th to February 3rd. The War Veteran Day is observed in Thailand on February 3rd each year. (TNA).