The chief of Khao Yai National Park revealed that he will improve the system for monitoring and pushing away wild elephants to increase the efficiency of elephant protection and tourist safety after images of tourists approaching wild elephants to take pictures at an unsafe distance emerged.
Mr. Chaiya Huaihongthong, Chief of Khao Yai National Park, said that the system for monitoring and pushing wild elephants has been improved by assigning officers from the elephant pushing team to work together with the forest guard team. The reason for the new arrangement was due to concerns about groups of tourists approaching elephants to take pictures at unsafe distances. He thought that Khao Yai National Park was not systematic in monitoring elephants, but when they increased the strictness in approaching wild elephants, some groups were dissatisfied because they wanted to take pictures of elephants.
It was confirmed that the system improvement was carried out to ensure the safety of both elephants and humans as the
most important priority. Teamwork with an increased number of personnel will make operations more efficient in facilitating tourists, as well as for the safety of officers during operations in the event that elephants and other wild animals come up onto the paths in Khao Yai National Park.
It is also a protection for wild elephants so that they do not get startled when vehicles approach.
The chief of Khao Yai National Park reiterated that if wild elephants are found on the roads within Khao Yai National Park, he asked for cooperation from tourists not to get out of their cars or vehicles to take photos. They must stay at least 50 meters away from the elephants and strictly follow the instructions of the officers.
This weekend, which has 3 consecutive days of holidays, there were a large number of tourists visiting Khao Yai National Park. On Saturday, October 13, 2024, there were 13,400 people and 3,300 vehicles, resulting in heavy traffic. At the tent site, there were 1,020 tourists staying overnight. On S
unday, October 13, there were 21,102 tourists and 5,012 vehicles. At the tent site, there were 1,120 tourists staying overnight.
For Mr. Sutthiphon Sinha, the elephant watchman who is a favorite of tourists and has been nicknamed ‘Plai Su’, he still performs his duties as usual, but with support to make his work more efficient.
Source: Thai News Agency