Fun Galore at the Surin Elephant Festival

 
I thought the back end of 2021 was dramatic as I moved from London to live in Bangkok, but 2023 took things to a whole new level. I was on the move again, only this time with a lady I married, to the northeast countryside of the Land of Smiles, where I was introduced to many traditions and cultures, including the Surin Elephant Festival.

What’s It All About?

I was relatively familiar with Surin, a town a couple of hours west of Sisaket, having first visited for a night on a solo Isan tour in 2018, and having returned two or three times since, including an overnight stay with my wife Taew and friends from Buriram.

I’d heard of the Elephant Festival. Keen to find out what it was all about, I booked a couple of rooms in town during the November extravaganza. Rather than just the two of us, Taew suggested we take her mum and Auntie Lamyong, as neither had been before.

Being keen on pre-planning, I sought out as much information as possible. I could buy us grandstand seats for the Sunday night show. I thought this was a good idea, having had a look at Surin Provincial Sport Stadium when I went to a game next door at Si Narong Stadium. The tickets were 250 THB each and included a goody bag.

More Than An Elephant Show

We got a nice surprise when we reached Auntie’s house. She was bringing Kim, her seven-year-old great-grandson. He was a lovely little boy who never stopped smiling and had taken a shine to us on our first visit to Sisaket when he was off school, and we took him with us, along with Lamyong, my future mum-in-law and his grandma. I knew he’d be no problem and good company.

Indeed, he was most useful, helping the elders sort out the TV in their hotel room before we ate in the restaurant and booked a Grab taxi to take us to the showground over two hours before the display was due to start. I’m glad we did, as there was plenty to take in before things got underway.

The area on the east side of Si Narong Stadium right up to Si Suk Alley was covered in huge marquees and turned into a massive market and exhibition. Stalls sold endless food and soft drinks, while bigger companies tried to sell attendees items for the home or their farms. We found a seated outdoor area to watch a local dancing display. Kim loved it, with pet stalls catching his attention.

It was extremely crowded, despite a small admission fee. I thought we might lose each other while looking at something without others realising. Finally, we exhausted each lane under the tent to make our way out and across the road to the entrance of the show. That took some finding, as it covers a huge area.

Evening Showtime

It was nice to get inside, receive our nice gifts, including water, and find our seats, although we were still early. We got a superb view of the proceedings. The lights went down as the drama built. Commentary in English and Thai guided us through what we were about to see and continued throughout.

In short, it was a history of Surin, how it evolved, and the elephants' role in it, as they took part in the re-enactments. Over 20 took part, as well as the hundreds of performers in appropriate costumes, with several changing as the show went on. The lighting was dramatic, and the show was educational and fun. I reckon it lasted over ninety minutes.

Our fun continued when we found our way out past an area where a huge outdoor concert was about to commence. We might have stayed if there were just the two of us, but we wanted to get the others back to the hotel. It marked their first-ever tuk-tuk ride. It's unbelievable how much joy those ladies in their mid-70s got from it. We packed them off to bed, bought some beer and stayed up past midnight to celebrate my birthday.

A Daytime Return

A year later, Gary suggested a Friday night in Surin. He wasn’t interested in the Elephant Festival, but Taew and I wanted to see what the morning show entailed. Steve and Fah travelled from Nang Rong, also keen to have fun.

A very sociable afternoon and evening followed, with a craft beer bar near our hotel getting plenty of trade from our group after we’d spent plenty of time in Fantasy Bar on the Western strip in the town centre. In fact, it was probably too sociable, at least that’s what my body and head told me when the alarm went off.

It was hot when we arrived on the opposite side of the Provincial Stadium. We hadn’t reserved seats. Despite admission to our grandstand being free, it turned out to be a big mistake. Gradually, I began to feel human again after some liquid intake and snacks. I thought we’d done well to find four good seats together as we settled down for the start. I soon realised I was wrong.

Schoolboy Error and Bingo

The sun shone straight on us. It explained why there was a fee on the other side of the arena. It was protected from the heat. The show was very good. It differed from the nighttime cavalcade, and the effects weren’t as dramatic. It was family entertainment with elephants playing games, a football match and races.

We left slightly before the end and were by no means the first to make their excuses as temperatures rose. We headed back for a siesta and comfort food before reconvening in reception to eat, then to the market area, which was like our previous visit.

It was OK to have a wander around. The two ladies ended up buying something or other, and we played bingo. I hadn't had that on my card for a Saturday night in Surin. Fah loved it. It was Taew’s first time. She wasn’t impressed. I think it’s because she didn’t win. We found a tuk-tuk to take us back to the craft bar, where the nervous staff from the night before could relax. We were much more sensible this time.

The video I filmed for my YouTube Channel

In Closing

Like many of Thailand’s annual events, the Surin Elephant Festival is worth a visit, perhaps over two nights, allowing you to see both the daytime and evening shows. I’m sure there are other attractions throughout the week we didn’t see to add to the stay. If you choose to go, buy grandstand seats in advance!

If you enjoyed this story, feel free to check out my YouTube Channel, where I share videos about everyday life in Thailand, local football, and travel across the country.

Thanks for reading.