PATTAYA, Thailand – A newborn female elephant calf named “Pang Noppamas” was welcomed with a grand ceremony at Nong Nooch Tropical Garden Pattaya on December 12, marking the fifth elephant birth in the year 2023 and the 109th in the history of the sanctuary.
The significant event took place on November 7, at 11.15 p.m., when the mother elephant, Pang Songkran, gave birth with the father elephant, Plai Ningnong, standing nearby. To mark the occasion, Nong Nooch Pattaya Garden organized a procession of traditional Thai dancers and elephant decorations, featuring 50 adorned elephants, along with garlands and ceremonial threads.
The ceremony, overseen by Phrakhru Kasem Kittisopon, the abbot of Samakkhi Banpot Temple, included rituals to bless both the mother and the newborn elephant. Following the ceremony, the elephants were adorned with garlands and ceremonial threads, symbolizing auspiciousness for both the mother and the newborn calf.
The President of Nong Nooch Tropical Garden Pattaya, Kampon Tansajja, along with the management team, presided over the ceremony and expressed his joy and gratitude for the new addition to the elephant family. He said, “We are very happy and proud to welcome Pang Noppamas, who is the 109th elephant calf born in our sanctuary. We adhere to a practice where each newly born elephant is celebrated with a grand ceremony, showcasing the cultural richness of the region.”
Nong Nooch Garden takes pride in its commitment to the well-being of the elephants in its care. Currently, the garden oversees the welfare of a total of 74 elephants, each under the watchful eye of a dedicated team of veterinarians and elephant caretakers. Additionally, Nong Nooch Garden holds the distinction of being the first institution in Thailand to receive certification for excellent elephant care practices from the Department of Livestock Development and the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards.
