​Have You Herd? Anantara’s Elephant Parade Bangkok Is Coming To Town!

Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas is partnering with Thailand’s top celebrities and artists to bring the world’s largest outdoor elephant art exhibition, Elephant Parade Bangkok, to town to honor the 88^th birthday of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The exhibition will see a herd of eighty-eight 1.5 metre brightly coloured elephants – which have been specially decorated, hand painted, and made for Thailand and will be exhibited throughout key locations throughout the city.

The first major Elephant Parade was held in Rotterdam in 2007 and has since been exhibited throughout some of the world’s largest cities including London, Amsterdam, Milan and Hong Kong. The Bangkok Elephant Parade will be a first for Thailand and the only one for Bangkok.

The event was originally 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. Mosha is always features in each Elephant Parade exposition and will have a specially Thai themed painted prosthetic leg for the Bangkok parade.

Artists from all walks of life have been busy designing their elephants, each an original piece of art to paint a brighter future for the county’s national animal. Famous Thai supporters of Elephant Parade Bangkok include such as:

Actors: Nirut Sirichanya, Tony Jaa, Sirinya Bishop and Daweerit Chullasapya

Singers: Pae Arak and Kong Saharat

Designers: Milin, Moo Asava, Senada, Tutti, Jitsing Somboon and Hiroka Limviphuvadh

Authors:Ploy Chariyaves

Artists: ML Jirathorn Jiraprawat, Maitree Siriboon, Wisut Ponnimit and

Pongsuang “Note” Kunprasop

Architects: Duangrit Bunnag

International: Paul Smith, DJ Hardwell, Nancy Chandler Elizabeth Romhild, Elsie Evans

and Gavin Fifield.

“I am so excited and honoured to be chosen to be one of the artists for the Elephant Parade. What a wonderful way to get people talking and taking action in elephant conservation,” Actress and Elephant Parade Bangkok Ambassador, Sirinya Bishop said. “The elephant is our country’s national animal and symbol, but somehow this once-revered and noble creature is now forced to beg for food on the busy and dangerous streets of the capital. I truly hope that this magnificent colourful pachyderm parade will raise the awareness and inspire us all to take more concrete steps to ensure their survival and wellbeing.”

In February 2016 a selection of elephants from the parade will be auctioned off at a charity gala dinner at Anantara Siam Bangkok with the proceeds going to the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation who in turn will select and fund a range of sustainable programs that benefit the elephants of Thailand including, Friends of the Asian Elephants (FAE), Wildlife Alliance, Freeland, Wild Aid, Think Elephants, and the Thai Elephant Therapy Project.

The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF), 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.

William E. Heinecke, Chairman and CEO of Minor International, the parent company of Anantara, Hotels Resorts & Spas, commented, “As a company, we are always looking for like minded partners who share our true passion in saving the Asian elephant and Elephant Parade has long been known for its elephant conservation efforts in Thailand, which is why we feel this partnership is the ideal fit. The more awareness that is raised on the plight of domestic and wild elephants in Thailand the better the chances we have for their survival. I can’t think of a better way to raise awareness than bringing the largest open air art exhibition in support of Asian Elephants to Bangkok in 2015.”

“Elephant Parade is very proud and excited to team up with such a great company as Anantara and The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation. We share the same commitment and values in helping save the Asian elephant, ultimately from extinction. We’ve travelled all over the world with Elephant Parade and now it feels like we are coming home, with our upcoming event in Bangkok next year. I am sure this exposition will be our most exciting and colourful one to date,” Mike Spits, Elephant Parade Founder.

Elephant Parade Bangkok will start in Bangkok on December 1^st and will be exhibited at Parc Paragon at Siam Paragon, the first world-class luxury shopping centre in Thailand, until the 18^th, then the herd will move to Asiatique, the first and the biggest lifestyle project in Asia on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, from the 18^th December – 11^th January and Lumpini Park, the largest and oldest park, the oasis in the heart of the city, 15^th January – 29^th January.