Surin Elephant Roundup & Red Cross Fair 2008  
November 18 - 27 , 2008  At Surin Elephant Show Stadium

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 Date/Activities
 18 – 27 November 2008 
                                    - Surin Elephant Roundup & Red Cross Fair
                                      At Srinarong Stadium
20 November 2008, Thu 
            06.00 p.m      - Surin Elephant Buffet Contest
                                      At the Statue of  Phraya Surin Phakdi
                                      Srinarong Chang Wang
21 November 2008, Fri
          09.00  a.m     -Welcome and Elephant Feeding Ceremony,
                                     Surin Elephant Buffet 2008 the biggest of the world
                                      At the Statue of  Phraya Surin Phakdi
                                      Srinarong Chang Wang
           07.00  p.m.    -Light and Sound Performance Show ‘The Legend of
                              Thousand years of the Sikhoraphum castle’
                                      At  Sikhoraphum castle, Amphoe Sikhoraphum

 22  November 2008, Sat 
          08.30 a.m.     -Enjoyable Elephant Talent Shows [More than 250
                               elephants performing] 
                                     At Surin Elephant Show Stadium
          07.00  p.m.    -Light and Sound Performance Show ‘The Legend of
                              Thousand years of the Sikhoraphum castle’ The Last Show. 
                                     At  Sikhoraphum castle, Amphoe Sikhoraphum
23 November 2008, Sun            
            05.00  a.m     -Joining Rajamangala Muang Chang Mini-Half
                              Marathon Race
                                     At Rajamangkala University Of Technology Isan ,
                                     Surin Campus
            08.30 a.m.     -Enjoyable Elephant Talent Shows [More than 250
                                 elephants performing], The Last Show. 
                                      At Surin Elephant Show Stadium
 

Elephant Roundup Schedule
22^nd – 23^rd  November 2008  at  Surin Elephant Show Stadium

07.45  a.m.  - Parade of New Little Jumbos with their mums  has to move out
  from city wall to the ceremony grounds.

08.00  a.m.  - Opening speech by Chairman of the ceremony.
                   - Presentation of the prizes to The New Little Jumbos. 

08.30  a.m.  - Start The elephant talent shows.

                   Act 1  Paying obeisance to Surin deva
                             - Being the act with Surin deva on the back of charming
                               elephant evacuating from the clouds

                    Act 2  Nativity to the planet earth
                             - One baby elephant and Gouy child playing together

                    Act 3  Worshiping to Gods seeking for a mighty elephant
                             - Gouy women dancing worshiping to the holy Gods

                   Act 4  The rumble of land and jungle
                             - A herd of elephants walking through the mist and then
                               many herds appear  

                   Act 5  Chanting the mighty elephant
                             - Gouy men and women dancing with gracefulness in                                elegant dresses

                    Act 6  Elephant mythology  
                             - Elephant training

                   Act 7  Elephant Battle with Victory
                             - Royal elephant battle between Ayotaya troop and                                Hong Sawadee troop

                   Act 8  The Mighty Elephant
                             - Final act, a herd of elephant and actresses walking around
                               the elephant battalion

11.00  a.m.  - The visitors have an opportunity to go sight-seeing around the
                      town by riding the elephant.

 Ticket price  :  800, 500, 300 and 40 Baht Respectively. Please reserve the tickets in advance (Specificially 800 and 500 Baht) at Surin Provincial Governor’s Office, Surin Province  Tel&Fax  0-4451-2039 , 0-4452-1358  Please Download Ticket Booking Form  Click  word(.doc) / acrobat(.pdf)

History of Surin Elephant RoundUp      

                        About 50 kilometers away in the north of Surin, Krapo Sub-district, Thatoom District and Nanongphai Sub-district, Chumphonburi District are the homes of native people, called Guai or Suai. They have trained the elephants to be the domestic animals and use them as the animals in the ceremony. The villagers prefer to feed their elephants, that’s why they recognize the elephant by the name of the village. The elephant village situates near the bank of Moon and Chee river. The land where the elephant village situates now, in the past was a rich forest.

                   On November 19, 1960, Mr. Winai Suwannakard - Thatoom’s former district - chief officer, has promoted the elephant round - up at the old airport which is now the area of the Thatoomprachasermvit School. The purpose of the round - up was to celebrate the new district office. The activities consisted of many interesting events such as an elephants parade, elephants racing and the elephants capture. The first roundup was very interesting by to both Thai and foreigners and so, by public relations, was spread all over the world.

                   One year later in 1961, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) realised the possibility of tourism and began supporting and setting up the procedure of performances while persuading the tourists to visit the roundup.

                   In 1962, The cabinet agreed to take the elephant round - up in Surin on as the annual fair of the nation. Mr. Kamron Sungkhakorn - the Surin Governor at that time has moved the elephant roundup site from Thatoom to the provincial stadium because of the inconvenience of the old site. Until now the provincial stadium is known and accepted as the Surin Elephant Show Stadium.

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