Elephant Festival 2025

The Buddhist Elephant Festival is observed on November 15, 2025, the third Saturday in November, especially in Thailand, to pay homage to the elephant, one of the most beloved animals in Buddhism. Buddha also liked this giant animals and one of his statements towards new members of the Buddhism was following: As a wild elephant, which is clamped and tamed by a human fellow, also new Buddhists shall make friends with older monks, to learn from them in order to make the best out auf Buddhism.

In the context of ceremonies the elephant is the focal point of interest. Different kinds of games and shows are performed to put the elephant’s intelligence and his strength to the test. Some hundreds of elephants take part on shows and contests like this. In addition to the main events with the elephants, another part of the festivities are folk dances and other cultural programs. A highlight is probably the tug of war between an elephant and about 70 soldiers of the Royal Thai Army. Not least this makes the event interesting even for visitors from outside Thailand.