OPINION

The 184-year-old paradox of elephant-eagle relations

News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 02/10/2017

» The elephant and eagle as symbols of Thailand and the United States were not the creation of today's news spin-meisters. In 1833, US president Andrew Jackson gave a gift to King Rama III that symbolised one of the most important relations the US had with the outside world -- its first foreign mission in Asia. Jackson gave the king a sword with an eagle representing America and an elephant representing Siam carved into the handle.