White Elephant. Meaning a big expensive gift, burdensome and hard to get rid of. It’s based on a legend that the King of Siam would gift rare albino elephants to courtiers who had displeased him, so they’d be ruined by the extravagant upkeep costs. I found this one guarding an elaborate spirit house in front of one the fancy hotels on the way to the Babylon baths in steamy Bangkok. Spring of 2008. #elephantart #elephantstatue #whiteelephant #whiteelephantgift #Thailand #bangkok