Bangkok:
Meet the elephant Santas of Thailand. They hand out presents, dance to music, and even perform with balloons regaling kids with their antics.
The schoolchildren of the Thai town, Ayuttaya, near Bangkok cheered loudly on seeing the six elephant Santas.
They jostled and tussled to snatch toys from the trunks of the elephants.
"I enjoyed it so much and I got a gift to bring back home," said a cheerful student.
Despite the fact that Thailand is overwhelmingly Buddhist, the yuletide event has become an annual tradition at schools here
"We bring elephants to get people to have more joy and happiness. For children, every time they see elephants, they feel happy and want to have activities with elephants," said Reangthongbaht, owner of the camp where elephants are kept.
The elephants also munched hungrily on the bananas fed lovingly to them by the children.
The kids went back home thrilled with their encounter with the giant Santas.
The schoolchildren of the Thai town, Ayuttaya, near Bangkok cheered loudly on seeing the six elephant Santas.
They jostled and tussled to snatch toys from the trunks of the elephants.
"I enjoyed it so much and I got a gift to bring back home," said a cheerful student.
Despite the fact that Thailand is overwhelmingly Buddhist, the yuletide event has become an annual tradition at schools here
"We bring elephants to get people to have more joy and happiness. For children, every time they see elephants, they feel happy and want to have activities with elephants," said Reangthongbaht, owner of the camp where elephants are kept.
The elephants also munched hungrily on the bananas fed lovingly to them by the children.
The kids went back home thrilled with their encounter with the giant Santas.
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