ph ants ▁over ▁the ▁past ▁ 1 0 0 ▁years . ▁In ▁Th ailand , ▁white ▁ele ph ants ▁( ช ้ า ง เ <0xE0> <0xB8> <0x9C> ื อ ก , ▁chang ▁ph ue ak ) ▁are ▁considered ▁sacred ▁and ▁are ▁a ▁symbol ▁of ▁royal ▁power . ▁ ▁Pur pose ▁▁ ▁Ch ang ▁Th ai ▁Day ▁has ▁three ▁main ▁purposes . ▁The ▁first ▁is ▁to ▁show ▁how ▁significant ▁ele ph ants ▁are ▁to ▁Th ailand . ▁The ▁second ▁is ▁to ▁demonstrate ▁how ▁the ▁Th ai ▁culture ▁depends ▁on ▁the ▁ele ph ants . ▁Last ly , ▁this ▁annual ▁celebr ation ▁prom otes ▁aw aren ess ▁about ▁protect ing ▁and ▁conser ving ▁the ▁Th ai ▁ele ph ant ▁population ▁and ▁its ▁habit ats . ▁ ▁Activ ities ▁ ▁To ▁raise ▁aw aren ess , ▁activities ▁take ▁place ▁around ▁the ▁nation . ▁In ▁Chi ang ▁Mai ▁Province , ▁activities ▁include ▁buff et ▁lun che ons ▁for ▁ele ph ants , ▁a ▁traditional ▁bless ing ▁ceremony ▁and ▁a ▁special ▁ele ph ant ▁show . ▁These ▁activities ▁are ▁organized ▁by ▁Chi ang ▁Mai ▁University ▁and ▁the ▁Ma esa ▁Ele ph ant ▁Camp . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁Ele ph ant ▁Research ▁and ▁Education ▁Center ▁ ▁Ma esa ▁Ele ph ant ▁Camp ▁ ▁Category : Ob serv ances ▁in ▁Th ailand ▁Category : M arch ▁observ ances ▁Category : E le ph ants ▁in ▁Th ailand <0x0A> </s> ▁Paul ▁Clo h ess y , ▁O AM ( born ▁ 1 1 ▁November ▁ 1 9