Elephant
Kraal
 In
times past, the elephant played a key role in battle. Elephant
kraals - circular stockades made from huge teak logs - were
used to round up, select and categorize the elephants according
to their characteristics, for training and use in war, and
for transportation.
A
restored version of the kraal or 'phaniat' can be seen today
just 4 km out of Ayutthaya town, along Highway 309. Renovated
in 1957, the kraal looks like a big cage of logs, fortified
with an earthen wall and bricks to the height of the pillars.
Behind the kraal is a pavilion housing the royal seat.
It
was also in the kraals that the treasured white elephants
were chosen to enhance the prestige of the king and ensure
the prosperity of the kingdom. Even today, the white elephant
is considered a symbol of the magnificence of the reigning
monarch. Under the law, all white elephants belong to the
king.
The
last time the elephant kraal was used was during the reign
of King Rama V in May 1903, as a demonstration for the royal
guests.
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