Elephant Parade Bangkok

The photo above features Sanuk, Nancy's final piece of artwork. Sanuk was among a herd of 88 elephants created by different artists, celebrities and other Thai personalities for the Elephant Parade Bangkok, which saw the herd move around the Thai capital from December 2015 through February 2016.

"Nancy was most honored to be invited to design for Elephant Parade" said her daughter and business partner Nima Chandler. "Her design was inspired by the sights of Bangkok that distinguish the city from others - its markets, temples, river life, and fabulously long name - as depicted on her maps for the past 41+ years. She put weeks of thought into the design and would love the fact that her last great piece of art was plastered on the sides of an elephant rather than something more conventional hanging in a gallery." 

Pictured above with Sanuk is Nancy's youngest daughter Kim, a special artist in her own right. 

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PictureNepal, 1968.
Elephant Parade Bangkok Background
Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas brought the world’s largest art exhibition - the world famous Elephant Parade® - to Bangkok. The exhibition saw a herd of eighty-eight 1.5 metre brightly coloured elephants – which have been decorated and hand painted by artists and celebrities - to be exhibited throughout the city and then auctioned off with the proceeds going to The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation.

The event was created after founder Marc Spits and his son Mike visited the Friends of the Asian Elephant hospital in Thailand which treats sick and injured elephants. There they saw Mosha, a baby elephant who lost her foot when only seven months old and was the first elephant to receive a prosthetic limb. She is fitted with a new leg every year, and must then learn to walk all over again. Mosha wearing her prosthetic leg is always featured in each Elephant Parade exposition.

Since the Parade started in 2006 more than 800 artists have participated and over 1000 elephants have been created; each an original piece of art. Famous international supporters of Elephant Parade include Sir Richard Branson, the Duchess of York, Evelyn de Rothschild, Goldie Hawn, Katy Perry, Tommy Hilfiger, Paul Smith, Joanna Lumley, Michael Palin, Ricky Gervais and Prince Henrik of Denmark. 

Elephant Parade® is a social enterprise and runs the world’s largest art exhibition of decorated elephant statues. Created by artists and celebrities, each Elephant Parade statue is a unique art piece. The life-size, baby elephant statues are exhibited in international cities and raise awareness for the need of elephant conservation. Limited edition, handcrafted replicas and a select range of products are created from the exhibition elephants. 20% of Elephant Parade net profits are donated to elephant welfare and conservation projects.

Information above extracted from www.elephantparadebangkok.com.
In February 2016 a selection of elephants from the Elephant Parade Bangkok were auctioned off at a charity gala dinner at the Anantara Siam Bangkok with the proceeds going to the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation who in turn will select a range of sustainable programs that benefit the elephants of Thailand.

The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF), was set up in 2006 to improve the plight of Thailand's elephants, and has since been diversified to include welfare projects that incorporate broader philanthropic and cultu ral objectives with unprecedented success.

Currently 25 elephants that have been rescued from Thailand's city streets, accompanied by their entire mahout family, are provided with a place to rest and grow. English lessons are arranged for the mahouts and their wives, education is made available for their children and a silk worm business provides the wives with full time employment.

In addition to performing street rescues, the GTAEF cooperates with the Thai government and other organisations in projects including supporting research and clinics using elephants in therapy sessions for children living with autism; helping equip the first elephant hospital in Krabi in the southern part of Thailand, donating a gantry to help lame elephants stand and a purpose built elephant ambulance to the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre (TECC), just to name a few.

To honour the Friends of the Asian Elephant's Hospital in Lampang, where the elephant who inspired Elephant Parade - Mosha resides, Elephant Parade Bangkok along with an annual donation from Elephant Parade® will also donate funds from the auction of four handpicked elephants to ensure that Mosha continues to receive the best possible treatment and a newly fitted leg every year.


Elephant Parade Bangkok also supports the following charities to 'Paint A Brighter Future' to both wild and domesticated elephants throughout Thailand and beyond.

  • Cheli & Peacock Community Trust
  • Mahidol University Department of Conservation Biology
  • Elephant Life Experience
  • Wildlife Alliance
  • Freeland Foundation
  • Wildaid
  • Think Elephants International
  • Wild Elephant Lover Club
  • Thai Elephant Therapy Project

Information above extracted from www.elephantparadebangkok.com