Will this stop the pandamonium? Thai elephants painted to look like pandas after the black and white bears steal their fans



It is a desperate cry - or rather a very loud trumpet - for attention.



These elephants were painted black and white to look like the pandas who have stolen all their fans.



The elephant is Thailand's national symbol, but the country has gone panda-crazy since the birth of a female panda cub to pandas Lin Hui and Xuang Xuang at Chiang Mai zoo in Bangkok.



They'll never forget this: The elephants parade their new look in a bid to lure visitors from the panda enclosure

The Bangkok Post also reported that a 20 million baht (£355,800) snow house was being built for the panda family at the zoo.

Sick of all the fuss, keepers at the Ayutthaya-Elephant Kraal decided to take drastic-action, painting five of their neglected giants in watercolour paint, then parading them before schoolchildren.



The stunt has resulted in panda-monium as the zookeepers try to draw the country's attention back to its neglected giants.

Grin and bear it: Elephants painted as pandas are seen at the Royal Elephant Kraal in Ayutthaya province, 80 km (50 miles) north of Bangkok yesterday

The animals are paraded before schoolchildren in the battle of the beasts



Some told the Bangkok Post website that the keepers had gone 'a bit overboard', but others applauded their action.

'Right on! It's time the Government took care of its national symbol... the elephant!' one reader wrote.



'The Chinese have taken care of theirs so why not Thailand?'

Slathering them in white watercolour paint, the keepers at the Ayutthaya Elephant Kraal then paraded the five elephants before schoolchildren in an effort to remind Thailand that its elephants have needs, too.

The five elephants are led on their walkabout yesterday