Thailand is mourning the peaceful passing of “Plai Thong Bai”, a celebrated male elephant famed for having the longest tusks in the country, prompting an outpouring of grief among mahouts and local communities in the Northeast.

The tusker died on Sunday evening at Ban Ta Klang in Surin province, where members of the Kui (Guay) elephant-keeping community gathered in sorrow.

Plai Thong Bai was widely admired for his striking appearance and impressive tusks, each about 2.10 metres long. He was one of Surin’s most distinguished elephants, known for his tall, dignified stature and elegant pair of tusks.