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A volunteer kisses an elephant in celebration of the Songkran water festival in Ayutthaya province, north of Bangkok, Thailand April 11, 2017. Trained elephants sprayed motorists and passers-by with water in Thailand's old capital city of Ayutthaya on Tuesday to welcome in the Buddhist New Year, known as “Songkran”. The jumbos from an elephant camp in the old capital Ayutthaya were brought out to rake passing traffic, soak passengers in open vehicles and spray anyone foolish or brave enough to venture within range. The holiday, the longest in the Thai calendar, starts later this week and runs officially for three days. Cities empty out as workers head home to see family and celebrate by cleansing images of the Buddha, washing the hands and feet of elders, and throwing water on each other in what is sometimes called the world's biggest water-fight. The festival – which is also celebrated in neighboring Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos – falls at the hottest time of the year, when temperatures often creep above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). (Photo by Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters)

A volunteer kisses an elephant in celebration of the Songkran water festival in Ayutthaya province, north of Bangkok, Thailand April 11, 2017. Trained elephants sprayed motorists and passers-by with water in Thailand's old capital city of Ayutthaya on Tuesday to welcome in the Buddhist New Year, known as “Songkran”. The jumbos from an elephant camp in the old capital Ayutthaya were brought out to rake passing traffic, soak passengers in open vehicles and spray anyone foolish or brave enough to venture within range. The holiday, the longest in the Thai calendar, starts later this week and runs officially for three days. Cities empty out as workers head home to see family and celebrate by cleansing images of the Buddha, washing the hands and feet of elders, and throwing water on each other in what is sometimes called the world's biggest water-fight. The festival – which is also celebrated in neighboring Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos – falls at the hottest time of the year, when temperatures often creep above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). (Photo by Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters)



A volunteer paints an elephant in celebration of the Songkran water festival in Ayutthaya province, north of Bangkok, Thailand April 11, 2017. (Photo by Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters)

A volunteer paints an elephant in celebration of the Songkran water festival in Ayutthaya province, north of Bangkok, Thailand April 11, 2017. (Photo by Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters)



A Thai mahout paints an elephant in celebration of the Songkran water festival in Ayutthaya province, north of Bangkok, Thailand April 11, 2017. (Photo by Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters)

A Thai mahout paints an elephant in celebration of the Songkran water festival in Ayutthaya province, north of Bangkok, Thailand April 11, 2017. (Photo by Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters)



An elephant sprays tourists with water in celebration of the Songkran Water Festival in Ayutthaya province, north of Bangkok, Thailand April 11, 2017. (Photo by Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters)

An elephant sprays tourists with water in celebration of the Songkran Water Festival in Ayutthaya province, north of Bangkok, Thailand April 11, 2017. (Photo by Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters)



An elephant is painted in celebration of the Songkran water festival in Ayutthaya province, north of Bangkok, Thailand April 11, 2017. (Photo by Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters)

An elephant is painted in celebration of the Songkran water festival in Ayutthaya province, north of Bangkok, Thailand April 11, 2017. (Photo by Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters)



A Thai mahout paints an elephant in celebration of the Songkran water festival in Ayutthaya province, north of Bangkok, Thailand April 11, 2017. (Photo by Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters)

A Thai mahout paints an elephant in celebration of the Songkran water festival in Ayutthaya province, north of Bangkok, Thailand April 11, 2017. (Photo by Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters)



With assist from its mahouts, elephants blow water from its trunk to tourists on motor-tricycle or Tuk Tuk, ahead of the Buddhist New Year, known here as Songkran,  in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Tuesday, April 11, 2017. The three-day new year festival will start on April 13. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)

With assist from its mahouts, elephants blow water from its trunk to tourists on motor-tricycle or Tuk Tuk, ahead of the Buddhist New Year, known here as Songkran, in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Tuesday, April 11, 2017. The three-day new year festival will start on April 13. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)



With an assist from its mahouts, elephants blow water from its trunk to tourists at Songkran or ancient Thai New Year celebration in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Tuesday, April 11, 2017. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)

With an assist from its mahouts, elephants blow water from its trunk to tourists at Songkran or ancient Thai New Year celebration in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Tuesday, April 11, 2017. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)



With assist from its mahouts, elephants blow water from its trunk to tourists on motor-tricycle or Tuk Tuk at Songkran or ancient Thai New Year celebration in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Tuesday, April 11, 2017. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)

With assist from its mahouts, elephants blow water from its trunk to tourists on motor-tricycle or Tuk Tuk at Songkran or ancient Thai New Year celebration in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Tuesday, April 11, 2017. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)



Mahout paint elephants at Songkran or ancient Thai New Year celebration in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Tuesday, April 11, 2017. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)

Mahout paint elephants at Songkran or ancient Thai New Year celebration in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Tuesday, April 11, 2017. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)



With assist from its mahouts, elephants blow water from its trunk to tourists on motor-tricycle or Tuk Tuk at Songkran or ancient Thai New Year celebration in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Tuesday, April 11, 2017. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)

With assist from its mahouts, elephants blow water from its trunk to tourists on motor-tricycle or Tuk Tuk at Songkran or ancient Thai New Year celebration in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Tuesday, April 11, 2017. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)



With an assist from its mahouts, elephants blow water from its trunk to tourists at Songkran or ancient Thai New Year celebration in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Tuesday, April 11, 2017. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)

With an assist from its mahouts, elephants blow water from its trunk to tourists at Songkran or ancient Thai New Year celebration in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Tuesday, April 11, 2017. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)



An elephant is painted in celebration of the Songkran water festival in Ayutthaya province, north of Bangkok, Thailand April 11, 2017. (Photo by Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters)

An elephant is painted in celebration of the Songkran water festival in Ayutthaya province, north of Bangkok, Thailand April 11, 2017. (Photo by Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters)



With an assist from its mahouts, elephants blow water from its trunk to tourists at Songkran or ancient Thai New Year celebration in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Tuesday, April 11, 2017. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)

With an assist from its mahouts, elephants blow water from its trunk to tourists at Songkran or ancient Thai New Year celebration in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Tuesday, April 11, 2017. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)
12 Apr 2017 09:59:00