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Elephant Safari and Elephant Races
Where you one of those kids whose favourite animal was the adorable elephant? Then imagine these cute and huge animals gathered together for a special festival, in their natural habitat performing for you.At Surin itself the festival takes place over two days.
There are elephant races, sparkling demonstrations of old-styles elephant hunts as well as numerous displays of the sheer strength and incredible versatility of the elephant. Battle cries resound around the dusty arena as the festival recreates battle scenes of yesteryear and there is even a tug-of-war between an elephant and some seventy brawny members of the Royal Thai Army.
They perform in ordination and harvest ceremony scenes and the young calves following their mothers have the spectators cooing. There are sprints in which the swiftness of the animal is well demonstrated - in short sprints they can reach speeds of up to 35km an hour. The Surin elephants take part in soccer, pick-up small objects such as matchboxes with their trunks and obey different commands.
In spite of their great bulk the elephant is actually an exceptionally agile animal and year after year they show their qualities of agility at the Surin festival. Nonetheless despite strength and agility they also show an endearing gentleness which goes a long way in explaining the deep affection that the Thai people hold for them. No one, rich or poor, young or old, local or foreigner, who visits the Surin festivities is not somehow moved by the events - the time when Thailand's elephants have their very own day the annual round-up.