The popular Phu Kradueng mountain in Loei province has been closed to visitors from Friday after a tourist was fatally attacked by a wild elephant, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation said on Thursday.
Department director-general Attapon Charoenchansa on Thursday ordered the closure for public safety from Friday because the elephant that was in rut and suspected of killing a Thai woman on Wednesday had returned to visitors’ area there.
About 700 existing visitors were told to leave the mountain in the northeastern province by Friday, he said.
During the closure, park rangers would drive wild elephants away from tourist zones, Mr Attapon said.
“I still cannot tell how long it will be closed. Possibly it will be closed until the situations are under control,” he said.
He plans to visit Phu Kradueng on Monday next week to discuss the problem with park rangers and researchers. The goal is to work out solutions to conflicts between wild elephants and surrounding human communities on Phu Kradueng and elsewhere.