Four elephants, wearing Santa ornaments and giant masks, paraded on Wednesday on their annual visit to a school in Thailand.
The pachyderms Sri Mongkon, 14, Sri Raya, 6, Peter, 15, and King Kaew, 18, they carried in their trunks baskets with masks to distribute among students and families outside the Jirasat Wittaya School in Ayutthaya, one hour from Bangkok.
The children sang carols and took pictures with the animals.
By Brett Baxter, Professor of English and Science, the event aimed to promote the Christmas spirit, with a Thai twist.
“It’s great for kids. It mixes two cultures, Christmas, with Santa and the joy it brings … and Thailand, with elephants,” he told AFP.
“They are very well trained and cared for. We have known these elephants for many years,” he added.
Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of the kingdom of Siam, is considered the cradle of the Christian community in Thailand. European Catholic missionaries built in this city a church on the banks of the Chao Phraya River three centuries ago.
The children of Ayutthaya have been visited by these elephants dressed as Santa Claus for 17 years. recalled Ayutthaya elephant center director Ittipan Paolamai.
“This year, due to the pandemic (…), we took this opportunity to raise public awareness about the spread of covid-19“He told AFP.
But some oenages criticize these shows in schools, a “very questionable and unacceptable” activity, according to Jan Smith-Burbach, a veterinarian and member of the World Society for Animal Protection, contacted by video conference.
“They present children with a totally wrong picture of these complex animals that are an endangered species. They become clowns and clowns, when in fact they are wild animals,” he declares.