Communities mourn death of famed tusker 'Plai Thong Bai'

PUBLISHED : 11 May 2026 at 09:55

WRITER: News Agencies

- 5

Thailand is mourning the peaceful passing of “Plai Thong Bai”, a celebrated male elephant famed for having the longest tusks in the country, prompting an outpouring of grief among mahouts and local communities in the Northeast.

The tusker died on Sunday evening at Ban Ta Klang in Surin province, where members of the Kui (Guay) elephant-keeping community gathered in sorrow.

Plai Thong Bai was widely admired for his striking appearance and impressive tusks, each about 2.10 metres long. He was one of Surin’s most distinguished elephants, known for his tall, dignified stature and elegant pair of tusks.

Born on Nov 11, 1973 in Bangkok, he was the offspring of Mae Bua Ngern, a female believed to have lived to between 103 and 105 years of age. Over the years, Plai Thong Bai gained national recognition, appearing as the lead figure in a well-known alcoholic beverage advertisement.

In recent years, the elephant had been living under the “Return Elephants to Their Homeland to Develop Surin” initiative and was aged 53 at the time of his death.

Known affectionately as “Por Yai Thong Bai”, he was cared for by female mahout Lun Salangam, whose elder brother is the elephant’s legal owner. Funeral arrangements were still being discussed with senior elephant masters and traditional healers to ensure appropriate burial honours.

A prayer ceremony has already been held, attended by relatives and members of the Kui elephant-keeping community, who gathered to pay their final respects to one of Thailand’s most iconic elephants.

Subscribe to our newsletters for daily updates, breaking news and exclusive content.

- Plai thong bai

- Surin province

- Kui community

- Thailand elephants

- Ban ta klang

- Elephant conservation

- Thai wildlife