18°48′02″N98°59′10″E / 18.800544°N 98.986080°E / 18.800544; 98.986080Chang Phueak Monument (Northern Thai: ᩋᨶᩩᩈᩣᩅᩁᩦ᩠ᨿ᩺ᩮᨹᩥᩬᨠ; Thai: อนุสาวรีย์ช้างเผือก; also known as the White Elephant Monument) is a historical monument of two elephants located in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It is situated near the Chang Phueak Gate, the northern gate of the old city wall of Chiang Mai. The monument is renowned for its cultural and historical significance, symbolizing loyalty and bravery during the Lanna period. It is also considered a sacred landmark of Chiang Mai and is highly respected by the local people.[1][2]
According to an inscription at the Chang Phuak Gate in Chiang Mai, the monument was built during the reign of Saenmueangma, the ninth king of Lanna, between 1388 and 1411. Two royal attendants, Ai Ob and Ai Yi, who helped King Saenmueangma escape an attack by the Sukhothai army by taking turns carrying him on their shoulders, were rewarded with the titles of "Left Elephant Commander" and "Right Elephant Commander". They settled south of Chiang Chom, east of Chiang Mai.[3]
Later, Tilokaraj, the ninth monarch of Lan Na, after the completion of Wat Chedi Luang's stupa, commanded Muen Damphrakhot to reconstruct two new white elephant statues and two singhs statues around the northern area of the city.[4]
The inscription of Chang Phueak Monument
These two commanders built statues of white elephants on either side of the Chang Phuak Gate. Later, in the early Rattanakosin period, in 1800,[4]Kawila of Chiang Mai reconstructed two new life-sized white elephant statues and built an arched structure over them, allowing viewers to see the elephants' heads. He also surrounded the area with a wall and a gate, painting both the elephants and the wall white.[3]
The two white elephant statues, known as Phraya Prap Jakkawan (meaning 'Lord who conquers the universe') and Phraya Prap Muang Mar Muang Yak (meaning 'Lord who conquers the demon and giant cities'), are oriented towards the east and north, respectively. Erected in 1799 CE, these statues were placed outside the Chang Phuak Gate. The construction of these statues subsequently led to the renaming of the northern city gate, previously known as Hua Wiang Gate, to Chang Phuak Gate.[3]
During the reigns of King Kawila and King Inthawichayanon, a significant number of Tai Yai people from Shan State, Myanmar, were relocated to the Chiang Mai region. These devout Buddhists settled in the areas surrounding the Chang Phuak and Pa Pao Gates, contributing to the region's cultural diversity. The Tai Yai community, particularly those residing in the Chang Phuak-Pa Pao area, holds a deep reverence for the White Elephant Monument. Local folklore attributes the protection of the community during a past plague to the regular worship of this monument. To this day, the community continues to honor the monument with offerings and prayers on important Buddhist holidays.[5]
The old wall was last renovated in 1995, and in 2023, it was partially damaged by a car accident and subsequently restored.[3]
On February 11, 2024, police apprehended a local man, approximately 40 years old, who was suspected of using a magic marker to write defamatory words on the monument. Subsequently, a ceremony was held to seek forgiveness from the statues of the White Elephant.[6]
