NAKHON RATCHASIMA — A local politician allegedly threatened to shoot the elephant ‘Plai Biang Lek’ to drive wild elephants out of the area. The head of Khao Yai National Park calls in veterinarians to examine the wounds and announces legal action if the gunshot wounds are confirmed.
A Facebook page called “This is Khao Yai” recently posted photos and statements claiming that a local politician had used violence against a wild elephant roaming outside protected areas. The post warned that such actions, if left unchecked, could lead to the elephant becoming aggressive and potentially endangering people.
The elephant is ‘Plai Biang Lek,’ who made international headlines when he entered a grocery shop in Moo Si sub-district in search of food. This time Plai Biang Lek was spotted several kilometres outside the boundaries of Khao Yai National Park.
According to initial reports, the shooter is the younger brother of a local politician and he himself is a Subdistrict Administrative Organization (SAO) member. Volunteers managed to take photos of the shooter holding a gun and collected spent shell casings as evidence. These were handed over to the park authorities.
Community Response
The post caused great outrage among elephant lovers. Many of them demanded that the authorities prosecute the person responsible. Wild elephants are protected under Thailand’s Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act.
On June 23, Chaiya Huayhongthong, chief of Khao Yai National Park, confirmed that he had received a report from a volunteer elephant deterrence team (not official park rangers) about an incident in Khao Wong, Village 3, Nong Nam Daeng Subdistrict, Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima. It was suspected that Plai Biang Lek may have been shot.
Photos and videos show two wounds on the elephant’s hindquarters, prompting the park authorities to call in veterinarians to determine whether they were gunshot wounds.
“If the elephant was indeed shot, we will press charges against the suspect,” Chaiya said. “It is then up to the police to investigate further. The incident happened outside the park boundaries, but we already have surveillance and deterrence teams working in these areas. Volunteers help monitor and report such cases as the park covers a huge area and animals often migrate unnoticed.”
Following the report, veterinary teams were dispatched to assess the elephant’s condition.
Monitoring for Next 3 Days
According to Chaiya, the veterinary team found the elephant but could not examine the wounds closely as Plai Biang Lek had covered the injuries with dirt to keep insects away. However, he was still wandering around near Khao Wong, close to where the report was first received.
Atthapol Charoenchansa, Director General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, later said that no wounds were found today. It is suspected that the elephant covered them with mineralised soil.
“If wounds are present, pus discharge may be visible. However, if there are no such signs, this indicates that there were no injuries. I have ordered Plai Biang Lek to be monitored closely for the next three days,” said Atthapol.
Wildlife Is Protected
Pak Chong district chief Phairat Inpanja added that if it is confirmed that a weapon was used against the elephant, a court case must follow. He insisted that no one is above the law, not even local officials or politicians. Village chiefs and officials are well aware that wildlife is protected by law and cannot plead ignorance.
He explained that the communities surrounding Khao Yai National Park have long had agreements with the park to implement joint measures to monitor and deter wildlife. The district office has instructed village chiefs to raise public awareness and take special precautions in areas where wildlife is common.
When a report is received, park rangers are dispatched to assess the situation and guide the wildlife safely back into the park to minimise human-wildlife conflict and ensure the safety of people and wildlife. Local village level teams have also been mobilised to assist the park in safely managing these encounters.
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