Thailand: Soccer battle between elephants and men end in 3-3 draw

Eleven elephants, each one's back painted with different national flags and carrying a rider, faced off against 11 human players for an afternoon of fun with a moral message.

Organizers arranged the match at a university in Autthaya, about 70 kilometers (45 miles ) north of Bangkok, to convince fans that soccer is about fun and should not involve gambling - which is illegal in Thailand but, nonetheless, widespread.

Police said Thursday that since the start of the World Cup on June 9 they had arrested some 440 people in Bangkok alone for illegal betting that amounted to almost 200 million baht (US$5 million; Ђ 4 million).

Players were dazzled by the powerful punts and penalty kicks of the pachyderms, according to the AP.

After two 20 minute halves, the match ended in a 3-3 draw.