In celebration of the 70th anniversary of the friendship between the Philippines and Thailand, officials from the Baguio City Government inaugurated life-sized statutes of elephants last December 18 at the Botanical Garden as a gift from the government of Thailand. It is also given as a symbol of friendship between the Philippines and Thailand.
The local government of Baguio thanked the Thai sculptors who built the statues in 4 month’s time in cooperation with a cement company in Thailand. The City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) also took charge of the landscaping, materials support, and security.
Thailand Ambassador to the Phils. Thanatip Upatasing said that it took them 22 months to plan the project at the Botanical Garden. He further added that the elephants symbolize different characteristics of the City of Baguio and that 5 elephants were built because the number “5” is a lucky number in Thailand.
The elephant is the national animal of Thailand and it is known as an icon of royalty.
The Baguio City Website said that the inclusion of the concrete elephants near the old bear cage shall be reminiscent of the times when the Botanical Garden was still the Baguio City Zoological and Botanical Garden.