Thailand campaigns for elephant conservation on National Elephant Day

BANGKOK, March 13 (TNA) - Authorities in several provinces of Thailand on Tuesday organized activities to promote the importance and conservation of Thai elephants on the occasion of the National Thai Elephant Day, which falls on every March 13. In the central Ayutthaya province, Laithongrian Meephan, owner of the Wang Chang Ayutthaya Lae Paniad elephant park and head of an elephant club, brought four elephants painted as a panda bear to a local tourist information center to campaign for the importance of Thai elephants. Laithongrian acknowledged that Thai elephants are surrounded by problems, calling on Thai people and relevant organizations to help the jumbos. In the northern Lampang province, staffs of the Thai Elephant Conservation Center under the National Elephant Institute held merit-making rites in Hang Chat district Tuesday morning to wish elephants good health and luck. The event was joined by people and some 30 elephants. Other ceremonies were also held to pray tribute and homage to deceased elephants and to present awards to outstanding mahouts and photographers of elephants-related pictures. In the northernmost Chiang Rai province, Thai and foreign tourists, as well as Karen hill people also organized traditional rites at the Kok River in Karen Ruammit village in the Mae Yao locality of Muang district to boost the morale of elephants and mahouts and to wish them good health and luck. There was also a feast for 32 elephants which have a holiday Tuesday, after serving international tourists who visit the Karen village all year long. In the southern Krabi province, there was a painting contest to campaign for the protection of Thai elephants which played important roles in the history of Thailand. In the capital, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Director-General Damrong Phidet opened a Thai elephant fair at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. The population of both domesticated and wild elephants in Thailand have dropped below 5,000 due to their health problems and decreasing natural habitats, as well as shortages of their food and water. Without proper conservation, the Thai elephants are now feared to be probably endangered. (TNA)