Agencies responsible for wild and domestic elephants creating plans

With Thailand celebrating its National Elephant Day on March 13 in a bid to promote the preservation of the great beasts, the agencies are reminding people of the important role the animals play in Thai people’s lives, whether economic, employment, or spiritual.

The kingdom enjoys both wild and domesticated elephants. Whereas wild elephants are protected under the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act, domesticated elephants have protection under the Beasts of Burden Act.

Conflict between wild elephants and humans

According to the latest report from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), around 4,013-4,422 wild elephants live in 93 preserved forests nationwide.

However, the elephants continue to impinge human spaces, particularly some 70 preserved forests mainly located in Eastern Thailand. These pachyderms have escaped the forests to seek agriculture crops and sometimes attack residents.

A report from the DNP’s Wildlife Conservation Office calculated that elephants killed 21 people and injured another 29 last year. Similarly, 24 elephants died due to conflict with humans.

The causes that lead to the problem elephant behaviour include forest disturbances involving wood smugglers and forest encroachment for agriculture and livestock.

The department has prepared a draft action plan to tackle elephant issues between 2024 and 2028:

• Personnel: Create a network and boost the potential of officials who monitor, drive back or otherwise move wild elephants.

• Area: Create an area management plan suitable for elephants, improve food and water resources, tackle troublemaking or missing elephants across Thailand, enhance surveillance, and set up a notification system for when elephants escape.

• Community: Quickly and fairly compensate those people affected by elephants, create awareness about elephant behaviour and offer alternative jobs for people.

• Research, innovation and technology: Develop innovation and technology to monitor elephants in real time, properly repel them and control their population, as well as study the conflict between elephants and humans in terms of economy and society.

• Collaboration with stakeholders: Establish committees for the preservation and management of elephants, including local committees, to tackle issues, and create awareness and collaboration among all sectors.

“Creating awareness and collaboration are necessary, and they need to be done constantly even if the result will not be as expected, in order to ensure the ultimate goal of coexistence of people and wild elephants,” said Chatchote Thitaram, director of the Centre for Elephant and Wildlife Health.

Raising welfare of pet elephants

Protection for around 3,800-4,000 domesticated elephants in Thailand will be strengthened after the Good Animal Practices for Elephant Facility comes into effect on August 19 of this year.

These mandatory practices issued by the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards aim to ensure animal welfare among elephants and enhance elephant park standards.

Because mahouts determine the health and welfare of domesticated elephants, the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre and Thailand Professional Qualification Institute have prepared standards and certifications for mahouts. Those who are certified will receive wages based on their expertise.

Meanwhile, the Department of Livestock Development’s Bureau of Legal Affairs is working on the Elephant Act, which is to be proposed to the Cabinet. There is no schedule for completion.

These efforts aim to ensure that domesticated elephants nationwide will live with good health and wellness, along with boosting the operational efficiency of elephant parks.