Thailand unveils plans for three elephant training centres

Plans to three elephant training centers in Eastern Thailand were unveiled by the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment. The initiative is aimed at controlling aggressive wild elephants which often disrupt local communities searching for food.

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), headed by Police General Phatcharavat Wongsuwan, will take the lead in establishing these Wild Elephant Behaviour Modification Centres. These centres will be located at the Second Wildlife Rescue Centre (Krabok Khu) in Chachoengsao, the Kao Soi Dao Wildlife Breeding Station in Chanthaburi and the Pa Chong Klam Bon Wildlife Breeding Station in Sa Keao.

Pol Gen Phatcharavat explained the need for these centres, saying that many wild elephants are venturing out of the forests, causing disruptions in nearby communities. The new facilities will house wild elephants in enclosures where behaviour modification techniques will be used to reduce their aggression.

DNP chief Athapol Charoenshunsa explained the plan, noting that the Wildlife Conservation Division is in charge of building the centers. Each facility will receive at least 9 million baht (US$250,500) for the maintenance of fences, feed distribution and general operations, including the construction of water wells, Athapol said.

“Each enclosure must be robust enough to house the elephants and designed to meet veterinary standards for the welfare of the animals.”

Athapol stressed the importance of clean spaces for elephants to change their behavior.

In a similar effort to manage wildlife, officials from Lop Buri Municipality have begun the third phase of their macaque capture operation, aiming to capture at least 500 monkeys in the next ten days.

Mayor Jamroen Salacheep announced that traps have been set up at four locations to capture the wandering monkeys, many of whom have evaded previous capture attempts, the Bangkok Post reported.

The captured monkeys are transported to a sanctuary in Mueang district, where they are registered, sterilized and placed in large enclosures to prevent fighting, Jamroen said.

Thailand News