2nd Elephant festival in Laos start (Photos) !!!

Date: Feb 16, 2008

2nd Elephant festival in Laos start (Photos) !!!

Date: Feb 16, 2008

Decorated elephants and mahouts march through Paklay, Laos enroute to ceremonies at the second annual Elephant Festival Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008. Organizers of the three day festival are seeking increased awareness of the plight of the Asian Elephant.

Crowds gather to watch as elephants and mahouts arrive for ceremonies at the second annual Elephant Festival in Paklay, Laos, Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008. Organizers of the three day festival are seeking increased awareness of the plight of the Asian elephant.

Date: Feb 17, 2008

Amazing event smile

Date: Feb 17, 2008

I don't have much idea about this festival but believe that it is amazing.

Are there any games?

It would be great if there are some games or competitions such as competition of beatiful elephant, competition of clever elephant. I heard from other festival in wich there is a football played by elephants. These games would attract more tourists to the site.

Is there any elephant riding service?

I think If one day I and my family have an opportunity to visit this festival, we would prefer to ride on elephant. It would be really interesting for us one time for our life. Nowhere we can find this opportinity to do so.

That would also help the elephent owners to get income and buy the necessary thing for the elephant.

Date: Feb 17, 2008

I do agree with you.
For the next year, I would recommend the committee to organize these events such as:

1. Elephant fashion show
2. Elephant football match
3. Miss Lao elephant contest (Miss Xang, only fat girls can join)
4. Eating contest
5. Baci ceremony for elephants
6. Food fair for elephants
7. Elephant drawing pictures
8. Take a shower with elephants
9. Elephant photo contest
10. Others....

biggrin

Village leaders and others gather for a blessing ceremony for elephants and mahouts at the second annual Elephant Festival in Paklay, Laos, Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008. Organizers of the three day festival are seeking increased awareness of the plight of the Asian elephant and estimate that unless conditions change in countries like Laos the Asian elephant could all but disappear in less than 50 years

Laotian elder spends a quite moment with an older elephant at the second annual Elephant Festival in Paklay, Laos, Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008. Organizers of the three day festival are seeking increased awareness of the plight of the Asian elephant and estimate that unless conditions change in countries like Laos the Asian elephant could all but disappear in less than 50 years.

Date: Feb 17, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

I do agree with you.
For the next year, I would recommend the committee to organize these events such as:

1. Elephant fashion show
2. Elephant football match
3. Miss Lao elephant contest (Miss Xang, only fat girls can join)
4. Eating contest
5. Baci ceremony for elephants
6. Food fair for elephants
7. Elephant drawing pictures
8. Take a shower with elephants
9. Elephant photo contest
10. Others....

Thank you for supporting my opinion. Your suggestion is really great and useful. If you have such an opportunity to suggest them to organize the above-mentioned events, that would be fantastic. You are really the someone worth for me and probably other Lao people to respect.

It's a pity I would not be in Laos soon to see the events.

Is there any white elephant "Xang Pheak"?

Old people say: "If we can see the white elephant, we would be considered the people who have "boon lay"".

I don't know I would be the "bounlay" person or not but I also want see her.

Regards,
TSP

Date: Feb 17, 2008

Where are you leaving for TSP? I thought you were in Singapore?

Date: Feb 18, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

Where are you leaving for TSP? I thought you were in Singapore?

Yes, you are right. I will definitely go back to Laos, nowhere I will go, but not so soon, I meant.

Laos is my beloved country. Wherever I go I miss it. I want it to be delopped like other countries where I have visited. I am keen to serve my country. I hope one day Laos would get out from the poor countries' list.

And the most thing that I miss is my family.

BTW, thanks for asking.

Date: Feb 18, 2008

Several thousand local and overseas visitors travelled on long and winding roads from various parts of Laos to Paklai district in Xayaboury province over the weekend, to view the impressive sight of dozens of assembled pachyderms.

Xayaboury provincial authorities organised the festival in conjunction with the Lao National Tourism Administration (LNTA) and French organisation ElefantAsia in the home of most of the country's domestic elephants, with a programme of activities taking place from February 15 to 17...more info and photos>>

This was the second such festival, and built on the success of the first, staged last year in Hongsa district in the same province.

On Friday morning, the main streets of the small mountainous district were jammed and police had to stop vehicles entering the town, where the official ceremonies were taking place. About 10,000 people turned up to take part in the festival.

The opening ceremony was held in the district's Sports Stadium, where several processions gathered, including schoolchildren waving national flags and flags symbolising the LNTA and the festival.

There was also a procession of 59 elephants, a parade of young women dressed in ethnic costume, rocket-launching, and boat racing. Several people appeared in the guise of Pheekhol , a familiar ghost.

Standing Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad, Governor of Xayaboury province Dr Lien Thikeo, LNTA President Somphong Mongkhonvilay and a number of ministers and high ranking officials attended the event.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr Lien said the festival was part of efforts to incorporate elephants into the tourist industry, generating income for elephant owners and helping them to continue raising the giant animals.

He also said the festival served to create awareness among the younger generation about the virtues of these enormous beasts.

Dr Lien said Laos had a long connection with elephants and that Laos had once been named “The Land of a Million Elephants”, reflecting the fact that Laos had been home to large numbers of the animal; now, however, the population was in decline.

He said Xayaboury province had only 488 domestic elephants and few of them regularly produced young as they spent all their time working and had little opportunity for reproduction. The authorities were trying to reduce the workload of these elephants in hopes that their numbers would increase.

Mr Somphong said the LNTA would continue to cooperate with ElefantAsia and the Xayaboury authorities to organise another festival next year as part of efforts to promote tourism in the northern provinces of Laos .

He said these provinces had considerable tourism potential due to the area's untamed nature, cultural diversity and long history. He pointed out that Paklai district was a transit point on the road to the World Heritage town of Luang Prabang for tourists coming from Vientiane and Thailand .

After listening to the opening address, visitors stood and admired the slow procession of elephants, some of which were painted and decorated with the Lao flag.

The elephants performed for the visitors, charming onlookers with their size and grace, perhaps already in the initial stages of training for a greater role in tourism.

Dr Lien led leaders and visiting guests in a tour of the 87 exhibition booths, displaying both local and overseas products and services.

Tourists were offered the chance to ride the elephants and were also able to see them hauling logs and bathing in the river. At night, fireworks exploded skywards in celebration of the festival.

Visitors also enjoyed performances of traditional music and dance and circus acts from Vientiane .

By Ekaphone Phouthonesy
Vientianetimes

Date: Feb 19, 2008

They do have baci for elephants