penak

Updated: January 10, 2026

As a matter of fact, "white elephant" is not a correct translation of the Siamese chang penak, which really means "albino elephant." But most foreigners will continue, I have no doubt, to use the term made famous by Barnum.

E. Alexander (Edward Alexander) Powell - Where the Strange Trails Go Down: Sulu, Borneo, Celebes, Bali, Java, Sumatra, Straits: Settlements, Malay States, Siam, Cambodia, Annam,: Cochin-China