NAKHON RATCHASIMA: A local leader has called on authorities to seriously address the problem of wild elephants from Thap Lan National Park invading farmland and destroying crops in this northeastern province.
Oraya Luengkrathok, the kamnan (subdistrict chief) of tambon Jorakhae Hin in Khon Buri district, on Saturday led a survey of damaged crops in the tambon, which is near the Khao Phradu community forest.
She said herds of wild elephants from the national park had been invading farmland in five villages in the tambon since July.
Although residents assisted by local leaders and officials managed to push back the animals on several occasions, the elephants, numbering more than 100, kept coming back in search of food, said Ms Oraya.
For now, she said, all local leaders can do is warn residents to take extra caution and devise ways to take care of their own crops.
The Jorakhae Hin tambon administration has so far provided three rounds of financial assistance amounting to about 100,000 baht to 35 affected residents for damage to their crops, covering about 60 rai. However, there were many more affected residents who did not meet the criteria for financial assistance, she said.
Since the elephant herd in the park numbers around 100, it is an uphill task to push all the animals back to the forest whenever they stray, she said.
The elephants seemed to have learned how to evade attempts to make them move, she said. More worrisome is the fact that some have started to retaliate against teams of park rangers, local officials and volunteers, raising the risk of attacks.
At least 50 wild elephants were recently spotted hiding in the community forest, leading to fears that the animals might attack local residents or destroy their crops and property.
Ms Oraya called on the agencies responsible to seriously address the increasing threat the animals pose to farmland.
Oraya Luengkrathok, kamnan or sub-district chief of tambon Jorakhae Hin in Khon Buri, Nakhon Ratchasima, leads a survey of damaged crops of local residents in the tambon, which is near the Khao Phradu community forest. (Video: Prasit Tangprasert)