In the morning mist behind a small village in Tak's Umphang National Park, a 30-year-old elephant emerged and walked towards a group of people eager to see if it was actually a white elephant as had been reported.
LABOUR OF LOVE: Mahouts at the Lampang Elephant Conservation Centre bathe a ‘Chang Ton’ elephant.PHOTO: THE ELEPHANT CONSERVATION CENTRE/ THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD BUREAU
As it approached, ML Phiphatanachatr Diskul, a veterinarian attached to the Royal Household Bureau, instructed the mahout sitting on the elephant's neck to command it to kneel down. He then began carefully examining the elephant for seven indicators listed under the 1921 Wild Elephants Preservation Law to determine if this was indeed a genuine white elephant. Those indicators are white eyes, palate, nails, hair, tail, genitals and white or earthen coloured skin.
In line with tradition if an elephant meets these criteria, an official verification process will be conducted.
ML Phiphatanachatr spent a short time examining the elephant, took notes and then gave a big smile to the elephant's owner before leaving. In keeping with royal custom he is forbidden from revealing the results of his examination.
He must instead first notify the Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang province where the report of a white elephant was first received, then the Umphang district office and Umphang National Park office, and finally the elephant owner.
LOOKING FOR LUCK: Royal veterinarian ML Phiphatanachatr Diskul examines an elephant at Umphang National Park for auspicious traits.PHOTOS: CHUMPORN SANGVILERT
''We don't search for white elephants, but if we receive reports we will go check them out,'' said ML Phiphatanachatr, who is also the chief of the Chang Ton House, or the House of His Majesty the King's Elephants.
''If the reports are true, the auspicious elephant will be brought to a royal compound and become the property of His Majesty the King,'' said ML Phiphatanachatr. It will then be referred to as Chang Ton (meaning His Majesty's Elephant). After elephants have been completely verified and passed through a royal reception ceremony, they are then known as Chang Phuek, or white elephants, and given a royal title and position. Commonly the title given is ''Khun Phra''.
ML Phiphatanachatr said that although they are not actively sought out and are quite rare, such elephants are spotted in forests on occasion and it is his duty to verify their authenticity.
It is a strongly held belief that before a white elephant appears, two other white animals will be spotted _ a white monkey and a white eagle. ML Phiphatanachatr said that after an unconfirmed report of a ''white skinned'' baby elephant in Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi province a few months ago, there were sightings of a white monkey and eagle. These sightings led ML Phiphatanachatr and other royal veterinarians to believe that there would soon be a verified discovery of a white elephant.
White elephants have since ancient times been a part of Thai tradition and folklore, and been under the protection of the royal household. It is believed that the elegant appearance and qualities of these elephants bring merit and good fortune to the King and the country. So by implication, the reign of a monarch is enhanced by these animals. The auspicious elephants hold significance not only for the royalty, said ML Phiphatanachatr, they are symbols which bind citizens together in tradition and national optimism. ''At present, Thailand is the only country in the world that still passes on its traditions and rituals associated with auspicious elephants,'' said ML Phiphatanachatr.
In the past kings rode Chang Ton elephants into battle, but today they are mostly seen only in royal processions or ceremonies such as on His Majesty's birthday or the anniversary of his succession to the throne.
At the present time His Majesty has 10 Chang Ton, five of which have been promoted to Chang Phuek. Part of the reason the other five haven't been promoted is that His Majesty wants to spare the country the considerable expense of the royal reception ceremonies, said ML Phiphatanachatr.
The last reception ceremony was held in 1978 and cost of millions of baht. During his long reign His Majesty has had a total of 20 Chan Ton, among the most to be discovered during the reign of any king in Thai history.
EXODUS FROM BANGKOK
In 1987, His Majesty began to consider moving the auspicious elephants from the royal compound in Bangkok to royal residences upcountry, as he thought the capital's environment was shortening their lives. Several white elephants were kept at Chitralada Palace, but they started to show signs of deteriorating health.
ML Phiphatanachatr said that in the past the environment in Bangkok did not pose as much of a threat to animals' health as while they were kept on palace grounds, there were other large areas where they could roam around that were covered with bushes and other vegetation such as Sanam Luang.
''His Majesty the King wished to preserve the tradition, while also balancing this with concerns for the elephants' health and conservation,'' said ML Phiphatanachatr. ''It is our belief that auspicious elephants must be kept close to the King so that he can acquire their auspicious attributes and gain merit. That is the reason why auspicious elephants should be kept in a royal palace. However, due to health concerns, the relocation of the King's elephants was eventually carried out.''
ML Phiphatanachatr remembers well the obstacles in introducing the elephants to their new homes upcountry. They had for the most part been kept in a relatively confined space in their compounds and had lost the ability to survive on their own. His Majesty suggested that the royal veterinarians first take two of them to the Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang near the royal residence there. He believed they would be well taken care of there and would thrive. That eventually happened, but the first two elephants struggled initially to adjust to the centre.
''They didn't know how to feed themselves,'' said ML Phiphatanachatr. ''We placed bunches of grass near their trunks but they didn't know how to lift them up. So, for a time we went back to feeding them.''
ELEGANT ELEPHANT: White elephant Phra Savet Phasurakachen decked out in ceremonial attire.
Some knowledgable veterinarians at the centre realised that since elephants are very social animals, they could learn from others at the centre. Mature elephants were then brought in contact with the two white ones so that they could learn how to live in a natural environment. After a few months, the two white elephants started to eat on their own.
''They must have learned from their peers. We were very happy about this,'' said ML Phiphatanachatr.
The royal veterinarians continued the relocation process until they finished the job in 1997, almost 10 years after the first two elephants were moved.
WHITE SANCTUARY
At present, six auspicious elephants are at the Lampang centre, two of which are Chang Phuek, or white elephants. The other three white elephants, plus another auspicious elephant, are at the royal residence in the northeastern province of Sakon Nakhon province.
At the Lampang centre, 44-year-old chief mahout Thongkham Manoya and his junior mahouts, including 30-year-old Pairote Sapmak, are kept busy caring for the royal elephants. These mahouts are among the most experienced in the country, recruited from communities in Thailand known for their skill in working with the animals, especially in Surin, Buri Ram and Lampang provinces.
Mr Pairote said that while white elephants possess special qualities they are normally calm and well composed.
He said the mahouts can ''feel'' their merit and therefore they honour them and treat them with great respect.
Mr Pairote said that when he was first assigned to take over the care of Phra Savet Phasurakachen from a retired mahout about five years ago, he could hardly get close to the elephant. Mr Pairote first tried to familiarise himself with Khun Phra by cleaning the elephant compound before taking over the duty of feeding it. Every day he took the relationship a step further until Khun Phra finally accepted him.
Mr Pairote says his routine is much the same as other mahouts assigned to take care of royal elephants. Every day at sunrise they clean the elephant compounds, bathe the elephants and put out food for them. At some stage they begin training the elephant to accept commands and later they take them into the forest to let them eat by themselves and become accustomed to the natural environment.
In the late afternoon, the mahouts will go into the forest to bring the elephants back to the compound. They then bathe and feed them again, and perhaps conduct more training before allowing them to get a good night's rest.
When it's especially hot the mahouts must give the royal elephants extra care, said Mr Pairote, and they sleep near the compounds.
''To be able to take care of any elephant, and especially a royal elephant, you have to have a lot of love for them because you have to pay attention to them all the time,'' said Mr Pairote.
''I am proud to take care of Khun Phra. It's not every mahout who is given a chance to care for such a special elephant.''
PHOTOS: PIYAPORN WONGRUANG
PROUD TRADITION: Top, five ‘Chang Ton’ at the Lampang Elephant Conservation Centre. Above, elephants at the centre are brought into the wild to help them become accustomed to a natural environment.PHOTOS: THE ELEPHANT CONSERVATION CENTRE/ THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD BUREAU