Elephants: Roundup

First taking place in 1960, the Surin Elephant Roundup features some 250 elephants that participate in a giant parade and activities such as elephant soccer and tug-of-war. Their mahouts - Kui people of Surin - once specialized in capturing wild elephants and domesticating them. The decreased economic importance of elephants in Thai society has forced many of the Kui mahouts and their elephants to turn to entertainment and the tourism industry to earn a living.