Thailand: A mahout and his elephant take a rest, Siam, late-19th century

In the 19th century, the Asian Elephant held a prominent position in Siam, although they were hunted regularly north of Ayutthaya and the Lao States (present day, Chiang Mai province and Isan). Not only were elephants used as beasts of burden in agriculture and for hauling timber, but they were active in war leading cavalry charges against the enemy. Elephants were frequently employed in the Siamese-Burmese wars of the Middle Ages. Siam's kings kept elephants, especially prized albino elephants, in elaborate stables. An adult Asian Elephant regularly lives to 90 years of age, grows to 2.5 to 3 meters in height and consumes about 100 kg of hay, fruit and vegetables per day. During the reigns of King Mongkut Rama IV (1851-68) and King Chulalongkorn (1868-1910), the national flag of Siam was a white elephant on a red background.