PHETCHABURI - A police investigation has found no connection between the slaughter of two elephants and the trafficking of tusks, provincial governor Monthien Thongnit said on Thursday.
Mr Monthien said police will look further into the case, although the evidence only pointed to conflicts between two villagers who had been arrested and wild elephants which had disturbed their farming.
The conflicts were the motive behind the killing of the two elephants, according to a preliminary probe by police, he added.
Sanya Tuansap, 37, and a man named Veerapong, 25, were caught in Hua Hin district, Prachuap Khiri Khan on Thursday before being taken to neighbouring Phetchaburi.
They face charges of illegally killing the elephants inside the borders of the park in Kaeng Krachan district of Phetchaburi, the governor said. Elephants are protected under Thai law.
The two, who are cousins, denied the charges but Mr Monthien said authorities have solid evidence to take legal action against them.
They were apprehended under arrest warrants issued by the Phetchaburi court after police found evidence, including forensic checks on bullets and witness testimony, indicating that their rifles fired the shots that killed the two animals.
The elephants were killed, one on March 9 and the other on April 10, close to Krarang 3 reservoir deep inside the park's boundaries.