Sak Surin, a Thai elephant currently in Sri Lanka, has been a key participant in the annual Esala Perahera festival. As the main tusker elephant, Sak Surin has taken part in over 30 processions, adding to the beauty and grace of the event. The festival, which aims to restore peace and harmony, centers around the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha housed in the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. Sri Lanka lacks tusker elephants, so they have requested elephants from Thailand and Myanmar. Sak Surin and two other Thai elephants were sent to Sri Lanka as goodwill ambassadors. The festival lasts seven days, from 8pm to 2am, with approximately 150 elephants participating. Conservationists criticize the practice as cruel, but Thailand views it as a goodwill ambassadorship. Sak Surin is scheduled to return to Thailand on July 2nd.
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