NAKHON RATCHASIMA: A man who approached a wild elephant while driving past Khao Yai National Park has been fined 5,000 baht for violating the National Park Act of 2019.
Chaiya Huayhongthong, chief of Khao Yai National Park, identified the man only as Arkom, 44. He was brought to the chief's office in Pak Chong district by park rangers on Monday after a video clip was posted on TikTok and went viral on Saturday.
The clip was of a wild elephant taken from close range in a manner that park officials said could have annoyed the beast and was very dangerous.
Mr Chaiya said after seeing the clip, which also showed Mr Arkom's silver-bronze pickup truck, he ordered park officials to find the vehicle's driver.
An investigation revealed the man entered the national park via the Chao Pho Khao Yai shrine in Pak Chong district. The incident occurred on a bend between kilometres 28-29 on the way to the Noen Hom exit in Nakhon Nayok province.
The park officials managed to locate Mr Arkhom from the pickup's licence plate number and brought him to the park office on Monday.
Mr Arkom confessed he encountered the wild elephant on the road, and said the animal did not seem aggressive. He drove past the elephant before stopping and getting out of the vehicle to take the video for his children at home to see. He said he was not trying to do any harm.
He was told his actions were in violation of many sections of the National Park Act of 2019, liable to a fine of up to 100,000 baht.
Mr Arkom was fined 5,000 baht for the offence.