In Thailand, a white elephant fit for a new king

Plai Ekachai, 33, who will become first “white” elephant to be discovered under the reign of King Rama X, also known as Maha Vajiralongkorn, does his daily walking exercise in Maha Sarakham, Thailand April 25, 2019. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

MAHA SARAKHAM, Thailand (Reuters) - A large portrait of Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn dominates one end of the open-air enclosure where an elephant known as Plai Ekachai starts his day at a conservation centre in the country's northeast.

Since last year, the 33-year-old male elephant has been treated with reverence as a deity after being identified as the first auspicious white elephant to be discovered under the reign of King Rama X, as the monarch is also known.