Bangkok--19 Jul--Anantara Hua Hin Resort & Spa
As Anantara Hua Hin Resort & Spa prepares to host the 10th Kings Cup Elephant Polo Tournament in September they are taking a larger than life approach to help raise awareness and money for Thailand’s national symbol — the elephant.
From a six time Grammy Award winning US band, Lady Antebellum and Louis Vuitton’s head designer, Kim Jones to Asia’s top TV and music stars, Anantara has partnered with some of the world’s biggest personalities of the screen, stage, fashion and business world and asked them to share their larger than life artistic talents to help raise money through an ele-auction to be held during a gala dinner at the King’s Cup Elephant Polo tournament in Hua Hin, Thailand on Saturday 10th September, 2011.
The auction’s concept is for each celebrity to paint and decorate “George” - a small plain elephant that needs some love, attention and colour to make him larger than life in order to brighten up the future for all elephants of Thailand.
A number of celebrities have been invited to let their imaginations run wild to create their own elephants. Their generosity and creativity brings new life and unique characteristics to George who is sure to bring smiles to the future owners. These include: Thailand: Charm Osthanond (TV star) Cindy Bishop (Supermodel) Lookade Kingpayome (Supermodel) Yuyee Alissa Intusmith (singer) Stamp Apiwat (singer) Sin (singer from the band Singular) Muey (singer from the band Scrubb) William E. Heinecke (Entrepreneur, owner of Minor International and Anantara), Krissada Sukosol Clapp (singer) UK: Kim Jones (Head Designer for Louis Vuitton), Amy Hindmarsh (International Fashion Designer), Korea: Park Jung Min (Korean Pop Star) US: Lady Antebellum (Six time Grammy Award winning band).
All proceeds from the auction will be donated to the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation which will in turn donate the proceeds to various elephant projects around the country. In 2010, fundraising from the event came to almost BHT 2 million which was donated to the Thai Elephant Therapy Project under the guidance of the National Elephant Institute. This program successfully uses elephants in the therapy of severely autistic children with amazing results. Overall, the tournament has raised over US$300,000 which has been used to provide medical care, sustenance, employment, welfare and mahout training to Thailand’s elephant population and their trainers.
William E. Heinecke, CEO of Minor International and owner of Anantara said, “We are very excited and grateful to the celebrities who donated their valuable time and support to help raise much needed funds for the struggling Asian elephant. Our theme of the auction is Larger Than Life and these celebrities have shown that their generosity is just that - larger than life.”
All the celebrity designed elephants will be displayed at Anantara Hua Hin Resort and Spa from August 3rd — August 31st, and at the King’s Cup Elephant Polo pitch in Hua Hin prior to the final auction on September 10th at a gala dinner held at Anantara Hua Hin Resort and Spa.