Phlai Chao Nga, an elephant renowned for his nomadic tendencies, found himself as the center of a significant court order. On a sun-drenched morning in May, within the quaint ensemble of homes known as the village district of Nop Phi Tham, GPS-tracking collar fitted snugly around his thick neck, Phlai Chao Nga was making headlines amid the quiet corners of Nakhon Si Thammarat.
The saga unfolded as the Nakhon Si Thammarat Administrative Court issued a directive to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), in no uncertain terms. The directive demanded the capture and subsequent relocation of our wanderlust-driven elephant friend within a stringent timeline of 15 days.
Alas, Phlai Chao Nga’s marveling at the breathtaking panoramic views and grazing the bountiful crops outside his native Tai Rom Yen National Park had been causing quite the stir among the local community. They claimed their livelihood, reliant on their crops, was under threat.
In an unexpected turn of events, villager Saksit Aoysawat found himself propelled into a legal battle. The cause? None other than Phlai Chao Nga and his incessant curiosity, leading him astray to Saksit’s village of tambon Krung Ching in his quest for food during the frosty January of 2022.
The villagers argued, their complaint was not without precedent. The DNP, although having proposed measures to prevent the elephant from sauntering off, yielded no positive results. Despite directives issued at the Protected Area Regional Office 5 in Nakhon Si Thammarat to relocate Phlai Chao Nga back to the safety of the park confines, action remained pending.
Phlai Chao Nga, the gentle giant, had not harmed anyone in his ventures, evidence of his peaceful nature. Despite this, he had unwittingly left a trail of destruction in the local farms, casting the shadow of future danger over the community.
The court convened, hearing out about 25 witnesses whose farmlands bore testimony to Phlai Chao Nga’s nocturnal escapades, as well as park representatives.
The verdict was passed, the clock set. 15 days for officials to catch Phlai Chao Nga, beginning from the subsequent Saturday. The DNP, instead of directing relocation to Khlong Nga Wildlife Sanctuary in Tai Rom Yen National Park, was advised to consider Khlong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary in Surat Thani.
In the end, it seemed that Phlai Chao Nga’s new home was, in fact, a better alternative, having been designated by the Elephant Conservation and Management Committee as an ideal sanctuary for “troublesome” wild elephants.
Be First to Comment