Thailand celebrated Elephant Day, an annual event held across the country, on March 13.

Pattaya, a city near Bangkok, held a religious celebration for the elephants. At the event, 35 elephants gave alms to nine local monks and received bathing rituals.

A "fruit banquet" was held in Ayutthaya, in which dozens of elephants enjoyed a fruit feast. Many visitors scrambled to feed the elephants.

Having a close relationship with the history, culture and religion of Thailand, elephants hold a special place in the hearts of the Thai people. Historically, elephants have played an important role in Thailand's military, transportation and labor. Even today, they contribute to the development of Thailand's tourism industry.

In 1998, the Thai government decided to designate March 13 as Elephant Day to strengthen the protection of elephants and to draw national attention to the important significance of elephants in the history and culture of Thailand.

Since last year, many elephant sanctuaries or performance parks in Thailand have been closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. As income declines, many of the elephants' food sources have become a problem, threatening livelihoods. The director of an elephant park in Ayutthaya said that he hoped international tourists would return to Thailand as soon as possible to help Thailand's elephants survive.