Anantara and Elephant Parade bring the world’s largest open air art exhibition to Bangkok

Anantara Hotels Resorts and Spas has announced their partnership with the founders of the world famous ‘Elephant Parade’, bringing the largest open air art exhibition to Bangkok in 2015. 

The exhibition will see a herd of more than fifty 1.5 metre brightly coloured elephants – which have been decorated, hand painted and donated by artists and celebrities - to be exhibited in the streets of Bangkok and then auctioned off with the proceeds going to The Asian Elephant Foundation.

The event was created after founder Marc Spits and his son Mike visited an elephant hospital in Thailand which constructs prosthetic legs for elephants that encounter landmines.  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. A model of Mosha and her prosthetic leg was the first Elephant Parade model to be made.

“Our inspiration for Elephant Parade started in Thailand way back in 2006 so we are very excited to showcase our world famous exhibition to Thai people and visitors to the Kingdom,” explains Elephant Parade co-founder Mike Spits. “We have been looking for like minded partners who share our true passion in saving the Asian elephant and Anantara has long been known for its elephant conservation efforts in Thailand, which is why we feel this partnership with Elephant Parade is the ideal fit.”

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, Antwerp and Milan. The Bangkok Elephant Parade will be the third major exhibition in Asia following on from Singapore in 2011 and Hong Kong in 2014.

William E Heinecke, Chairman and Founder of Minor International, owner of Anantara,  and patron of the the group’s Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation which has now rescued over 30 street elephants said, “We are very pleased to help bring ‘Elephant Parade’ to Bangkok and to raise even more awareness and funds for the plight of the kingdom’s national animal. The parade coincides with Anantara’s famous King’s Cup Elephant charity event moving to Bangkok from the seaside town of Hua Hin.  The event has raised over $750,000 to better the lives of both domesticated and wild elephants throughout Thailand and we expect see much, much more raised with the help of Elephant Parade over the coming year.”

Famous international supporters of Elephant Parade include the Duchess of York, Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, Goldie Hawn, Khloe Kardashian, Katy Perry, Tommy Hilfiger, Joanna Lumley, Michael Palin and Prince Henrik of Denmark. 

To give Bangkok a taste of Elephant Parade 2015, Anantara will showcase ten of the elephants at the 13^th Annual King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament which will be held at the Siam Polo Park at VR Sports Club in Bangkok from August 27^th – September 1^st, 2014.

For more information on the 13^th Annual King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament, please visit www.anantaraelephantpolo.com. For more information on Elephant Parade please visit http://www.elephantparade.com

For more information on Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, please visit www.anantara.com.