“Elephant” or “Chang” (ช้าง) was chosen as Thailand’s national symbol, a key reason is that the Thai people celebrated the elephant’s incredible strength, durability, and longevity.
The white elephant is a symbol of royalty in Thailand because white elephants were incredibly rare and valuable, they were only used for royal duties.
In the Buddhist tradition, on the eve of Buddha’s birth, his mother had a dream and was given a lotus flower by a white elephant. The animal was so revered and respected, it was even on the "Siamese" (Thailand former name) flag until the early 1900s.
“Bear” or “Mee” (หมี) is the symbol of strength and protection. Bear is a fierce warrior, especially when protecting their young. They appear to be lumbering and slow but can have lightning speed when threatened.
The bear is important to the concepts of Feng Shui, the Chinese art of harmonizing humans with their environments. According to this philosophy, a bear represents masculine energies.
