Mahouts threaten protest march against elephant bill

Elephant owners and mahouts are threatening to march to Bangkok with their animals if the government proceeds with a bill to transfer state authority over the species.

The government plans to transfer authority over Thai elephants from the Department of Provincial Administration to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNWPC). It will hold a public hearing on the bill today.

Elephant owners and mahouts say the bill could result in their animals being confiscated without good reason.

Laithongrian Meephan, the owner of the Lae Paniad Elephant Kraal in Ayutthaya, joined mahouts from the province and others from the Northeast and the South in a gathering at Ayutthaya Historical Park yesterday to protest against the bill.

Mr Laithongrian said the bill would empower the DNWPC to confiscate elephants if their owners could not present registration documents for the animals.

He said mahouts doubted the DNWPC would be able to take proper care of any confiscated elephants.

Mr Laithongrian said the government and the DNWPC are too concerned with appeasing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites).

Cites wants Thailand to introduce formal documentation for all domesticated elephants to regulate their ownership and movements and prevent wildlife trafficking.

However, if the government proceeds with the bill, the elephants’ bond with their handlers, and the unique culture and wisdom of Thai mahouts would be threatened, he said.

Elephant handlers nationwide would rally again and could march to the capital with their animals if the government fails to heed their concerns, Mr Laithongrian said.

Meanwhile, Kaeng Krachan National Park chief Chaiwat Limlikhit-aksorn said 10 wild elephants will be moved from their area near the Hua Hin-Pala-u road in Hua Hin district of Prachuap Khiri Khan after a visitor to the area was killed.

A male elephant in the herd killed a 30-year-old woman in the Pala-u Bon forest in Hua Hin on Aug 26.

They will be moved to an area near the Phanoenthung forest in Kaeng Krachan district of Phetchaburi where they are less likely to cause trouble.