Just around the corner from Etihad Stadium at Docklands is Nine Elephants, a popular Thai restaurant with a legion of loyal fans. Don't be fooled by its quiet Docklands streetscape - once you enter Nine Elephants, the atmosphere is lively and packed with patrons conversing over spicy dishes. The menu is expansive and varied, featuring traditional curries, stir fries and fiery seafood combos.
The significance comes from the number nine in Thai ‘๙ ’, which is famous for resembling an elephants. Elephants have always been a significant part of Thailand history and it continues to be the symbol of Thailand today. In the past, ancient king of Siam used elephants as vehicles in battle and the greater number of elephants a king had reflected on his standing. The current king of Thailand, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, owns ten white elephants, and this is considered a great achievement.
Number nine is also significant to Thai people because our King Bhumibol Adulyadej is also known as King Rama IX, who is the longest serving monarch in the world. Thai people also believe that number nine is a lucky number as the word nine in Thai is “gao”, which also means step. And the word “gao-na” means to progress or step forward, therefore having number nine in front of something is symbolic of stepping forward – Nine Elephants.
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