Elephants’ Role in Thai history ./
"King of the White Elephant" wasThailand's first English language filmThroughout Thai history, elephants have been used to assist in the construction of temples and to help clear forests and carry timber. The ancient kings of Siam used elephants to ride into battle and the more elephants a king had (especially white elephants) then the more status and power he enjoyed. This is epitomised by the letter sent in 1861 by King Rama IV to the American president. When the Siamese king found out that the American president had no elephants he offered to send him some to help in the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln gently declined the offer.
From 1855-1916, the national flag of Thailand (Siam as it was then) was a white elephant on a red background and the white elephant still features today on the Thai Naval Ensign.