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The event consists of a series of shows displaying the strength and skill of the animals, such as ] games and ] with the Royal Thai Army. While elephants painting pictures, playing polo and whirling hoola hoops on their trunks are also included in the show.<ref>{{cite news|last1=MURDOCH|first1=GILLIAN|title=Fun is serious business as Asian elephants struggle to survive|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/2007/12/24/environment-asia-elephants-dc-idUKSP31907020071224|accessdate=15 April 2015|agency=Reuters|publisher=http://uk.reuters.com/|date=Dec 24, 2007}}</ref> Numerous floats are also put on display. The venue for the event , Si Narong Stadium, has been called the "world’s largest domestic elephant village" by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.<ref>{{cite web|title=Amazing Surin Elephant Roundup 2014|url=http://www.tatnews.org/ai1ec_event/amazing-surin-elephant-roundup-2014/|website=tatnews.org|accessdate=15 April 2015}}</ref> The event consists of a series of shows displaying the strength and skill of the animals, such as ] games and ] with the Royal Thai Army. While elephants painting pictures, playing polo and whirling hoola hoops on their trunks are also included in the show.<ref>{{cite news|last1=MURDOCH|first1=GILLIAN|title=Fun is serious business as Asian elephants struggle to survive|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/2007/12/24/environment-asia-elephants-dc-idUKSP31907020071224|accessdate=15 April 2015|agency=Reuters|publisher=http://uk.reuters.com/|date=Dec 24, 2007}}</ref> Numerous floats are also put on display. The venue for the event , Si Narong Stadium, has been called the "world’s largest domestic elephant village" by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.<ref>{{cite web|title=Amazing Surin Elephant Roundup 2014|url=http://www.tatnews.org/ai1ec_event/amazing-surin-elephant-roundup-2014/|website=tatnews.org|accessdate=15 April 2015}}</ref>

==Early History==
Until the end of the 19th century there were thousands of wild elephants which roamed the forests around Thai cities in general, and around Surin in particular. These elephants were rounded up, corralled and captured regularly in "round ups". These events served a real purpose as the captured elephants were domesticated and then used as beasts of burden or sometimes as war animals. However during the reign of the ] these round ups were turned into a public spectacle. The round ups became a royally sponsored event and dignitaries both foreign and local were invited to enjoy the spectacle. One of the most notable foreign dignitaries of that time to observe the event at the invitation of the King was ], who later wrote in his diary that the King had arranged a special round up especially for his foreign guests even though the real events date had yet to come.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Cohen|first1=Erik|title=Explorations in Thai Tourism: Collected Case Studies|date=2008|publisher=Emerald Group Publishing Limited|location=bingley, UK|isbn=978-0-08-046736-8|page=147|url=https://books.google.com.pk/books?id=IfpXDBVZ0bQC&pg=PA150&dq=%22surin+elephant%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=71gvVei_DIKyafqCgfAM&ved=0CBoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22surin%20elephant%22&f=false|accessdate=16 April 2015}}</ref> By the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century the events had become more of a staged spectacle instead of a real real hunt. The round ups were now enacted for the entertainment of royal guests. William Warren has reported that King ] ,also called Rama V, had a round up especially staged for ] in 1891 during the later's ] as a crown prince.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Warren|first1=William|title=Thailand, the Golden Kingdom|date=1999|publisher=Periplus Editions|location=Portland, OR, U.S.A|isbn=9625934650|page=79|accessdate=16 April 2015}}</ref>] visited the country in 1903 and was invited to spectate a round up as member of the national geographic society. She later wrote about her experience and titled the story "The Greatest Hunt in the World ". She wrote that the King and his entourage came to stay at the summer palace for the hunt, dignitaries came by cruiser or by train, while the locals mostly arrived by boat. She described the actual event saying that hunters worked for many hours and used various tactics to herd hundreds of elephants towards the kraal which has been described as an enclosure with solid walls six feet thick, having an inner stockade of teak logs twelve feet high, banded together with iron. According to her account more than 250 elephants were rounded up that year. Some were unintentionally hurt as they stomped and trumpeted during the roundup, but these received immediate care.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Scidmore|first1=Eliza|title=The Greatest hunt in the World|date=1906|publisher=The National Geographic society|url=http://archive.org/stream/nationalgeograp171906nati/nationalgeograp171906nati_djvu.txt|accessdate=16 April 2015}}</ref>The last round up which was officially sponsored by the royal family took place in 1962. It was staged in honour of King ] and his wife ], who visited thailand in early 1962.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Patterson|first1=Mary Alice|title=The Ancient Elephant Kraal at Ayutthaya|date=1968|page=22|accessdate=16 April 2015}}</ref>


==Elephant Round-Up== ==Elephant Round-Up==

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Elephant procession
Elephant breakfast
Surin Elephant Round-up Show 2009.
Surin Elephant Round-up Show 2009.

The Surin Elephant Round-up usually takes place on the third weekend of November in Surin province, Isan, Thailand. It is of recent origin, first held in 1960. The people of Surin were traditionally excellent at capturing elephants in Cambodia, then training them as working animals. Civil war in Cambodia and the elephant's decreasing economic importance has forced the elephant handlers (mahouts) to turn to entertainment to make a living.

The event consists of a series of shows displaying the strength and skill of the animals, such as football games and tugs of war with the Royal Thai Army. While elephants painting pictures, playing polo and whirling hoola hoops on their trunks are also included in the show. Numerous floats are also put on display. The venue for the event , Si Narong Stadium, has been called the "world’s largest domestic elephant village" by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Early History

Until the end of the 19th century there were thousands of wild elephants which roamed the forests around Thai cities in general, and around Surin in particular. These elephants were rounded up, corralled and captured regularly in "round ups". These events served a real purpose as the captured elephants were domesticated and then used as beasts of burden or sometimes as war animals. However during the reign of the Ayutthaya Kingdom these round ups were turned into a public spectacle. The round ups became a royally sponsored event and dignitaries both foreign and local were invited to enjoy the spectacle. One of the most notable foreign dignitaries of that time to observe the event at the invitation of the King was François-Timoléon de Choisy, who later wrote in his diary that the King had arranged a special round up especially for his foreign guests even though the real events date had yet to come. By the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century the events had become more of a staged spectacle instead of a real real hunt. The round ups were now enacted for the entertainment of royal guests. William Warren has reported that King Chulalongkorn ,also called Rama V, had a round up especially staged for Nicholas II of Russia in 1891 during the later's world tour as a crown prince.Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore visited the country in 1903 and was invited to spectate a round up as member of the national geographic society. She later wrote about her experience and titled the story "The Greatest Hunt in the World ". She wrote that the King and his entourage came to stay at the summer palace for the hunt, dignitaries came by cruiser or by train, while the locals mostly arrived by boat. She described the actual event saying that hunters worked for many hours and used various tactics to herd hundreds of elephants towards the kraal which has been described as an enclosure with solid walls six feet thick, having an inner stockade of teak logs twelve feet high, banded together with iron. According to her account more than 250 elephants were rounded up that year. Some were unintentionally hurt as they stomped and trumpeted during the roundup, but these received immediate care.The last round up which was officially sponsored by the royal family took place in 1962. It was staged in honour of King Frederick IX of Denmark and his wife Ingrid, who visited thailand in early 1962.

Elephant Round-Up

The Elephant Breakfast is held on the Friday morning. On november 14 2003 the buffet created the guiness world record for the "Largest elephant buffet" when 269 Asian elephants gathered to consume over 50 tonnes (110,000 lb) of fruit and vegetables from long tables.

A procession of up to over 300 elephants starts marching through Surin city from the railway station area toward the Elephant roundabout at the south end of the city on the Prasat road. The elephants carry dignitaries who dismount their steeds on arrival. Some elephants carry mahouts in authentic battle outfits from the Thai - Khmer - Laos battles. Intermingled with the elephant procession are local school children and teachers in traditional dress, dancing and playing music. Once all the elephants have arrived then the banquet begins. The tables for the banquet are more than 400 meters long and it is customary to decorate them with traditional silk cloth. The food presented to the elephants is consumed by them but leftovers are not thrown away, as the local people take the leftovers to their own homes.

On the Saturday morning the elephants and mahouts congregate at the Elephant Stadium. Here the elephants and their trainers display elephant capture and training techniques, elephant warfare tactics and the skills of elephants as working animals. The finale of the show is re-enactment of a past battle. Along with the elephant show the stadium hosts a mini-half marathon called "Mueang Chang". The Red Cross Society also holds a cultural performance with the elephant show. The elephant show is repeated on Sunday morning.

References

  1. "Surin Elephant Round-up: an unforgettable sight in Thailand Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thailand/surin-and-si-saket-provinces/surin-and-around/travel-tips-and-articles/77482#ixzz3XLsC3YCA". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 15 April 2015. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  2. "Festival feast". global times. Global Times. 2013-11-10. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  3. MURDOCH, GILLIAN (Dec 24, 2007). "Fun is serious business as Asian elephants struggle to survive". http://uk.reuters.com/. Reuters. Retrieved 15 April 2015. {{cite news}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  4. "Amazing Surin Elephant Roundup 2014". tatnews.org. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  5. Cohen, Erik (2008). Explorations in Thai Tourism: Collected Case Studies. bingley, UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-08-046736-8. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  6. Warren, William (1999). Thailand, the Golden Kingdom. Portland, OR, U.S.A: Periplus Editions. p. 79. ISBN 9625934650. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  7. Scidmore, Eliza (1906). The Greatest hunt in the World. The National Geographic society. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  8. Patterson, Mary Alice (1968). The Ancient Elephant Kraal at Ayutthaya. p. 22. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  9. "Largest elephant buffet". guinnessworldrecords. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  10. Ngamsangchaikit, Wanwisa (October 9, 2013). "Surin readies for elephant festival". ttrweekly. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  11. "Thai Elephant Festival (6 Days)". travels with teri. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  12. "World's biggest elephant buffet on 14 Nov in Surin". thainews. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  13. Ngamsangchaikit, Wanwisa (October 9, 2013). "Surin readies for elephant festival". ttrweekly. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  14. TTRweekly Staff (October 10, 2014). "Surin hosts mega elephant show". TTRweekly. Retrieved 15 April 2015.

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