Actually, the tag line on this photo is incorrect.
These Thai elephants are in Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand. Elephants are the National symbol (animal) of Thailand. Recently, a (Chinese) baby panda was born in Chiang Mai Zoo (http://www.planetwatch.eu/zoo-produces-baby-panda-after-years-of-trying/), and the elephant keepers in Ayutthaya got jealous. So they thought that if pandas get attention but elephants can't, then it's better to be pandas. Hence the new water paint color scheme.