Thailand’s National Animal Got Caught Eating Sugarcane. Its Defense: a Pole

In November 2020, a photo from Chiang Mai in northern Thailand showed a baby elephant in a sugarcane field, caught mid-meal and standing behind a narrow pole, apparently believing no one could see it.¹²

The picture was posted to Facebook in November and spread from there to news sites around the world. Thailand’s elephants are protected and serve as the country’s national animal.¹

According to Malay Mail, the calf was behind the pole when lights were shone on it while it was eating sugarcane in a plantation.¹ Nextshark, citing The Star, reported that it was farmers who shone the light.² Bored Panda described the young elephant as feasting in a farmer’s field when local people approached.³

ComicBook.com noted that the calf stood still behind the thin utility pole rather than running off.⁵ As hiding strategies go, it had commitment, if not coverage.

The original post’s Thai caption, as translated in the coverage, read:

“Keep calm. Officers will see. Let’s continue eating sugarcane.” (translated from Thai)

Malay Mail reported that at the time, the original Facebook post had been shared about 1,100 times and had drawn more than 3,000 reactions.¹ True Activist reported that the photo later turned up on Twitter, Reddit and Imgur.⁴ The outlets covering it were reporting on the viral post itself.

Malay Mail, citing the Daily Mail, reported that an estimated 2,000 elephants live in the wild in Thailand, with a similar number in captivity.¹ ComicBook.com reminded readers that such animals are wild creatures.⁵