Articles and Stories

December 3, 2015

December 1, 2015 is the start of the elephant parade in Bangkok, Thailand. Rudolph, the Christmas elephant created by Studio Chiang Mai, is leading the herd of 88 elephants with his bright red nose. This herd of 88 brightly colored elephants trumpeted into Bangkok for the largest open air art exhibition ever seen in Thailand.

The elephant parade has teamed up with the Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas and The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation. The Foundation was set up in 2006 “to improve the plight of Thailand’s elephants, and has since been diversified to include welfare projects that incorporate broader philanthropic and cultural objectives with unprecedented success,” as it says on their website http://www.anantara.com/golden-triangle-asian-elephant-foundation/

The website further explains how this event started: “The event was created after founder Marc Spits and his son Mike visited the Friends of the Asian Elephant hospital in Thailand which treats sick and injured elephants. There they saw Mosha, a baby elephant who lost her foot when only seven months old and was the first elephant to receive a prosthetic limb. She is fitted with a new leg every year, and must then learn to walk all over again. Mosha wearing her prosthetic leg is always featured in each Elephant Parade exposition.”

The elephants are 59 inches in height and colored in various patterns by famous artists and celebrities. These decorative elephants are displayed throughout the city and then auctioned off. The proceeds go to The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation.

Please visit the website. You can win a 7-day trip to the Anantara Hotel in the Maldives along with other interesting prizes.