On December 24, 2014, police in Chanthaburi Province were alerted to the discovery of a young wild elephant’s remains in a rubber plantation near Wat Pa Khao Phai temple in Kaeng Hang Maeo district. The animal appeared to have been fatally shot, raising concerns over escalating human-wildlife conflict in the region.
Responding to the report, Pol. Lt. Col. Nattawut Khammoon of Kaeng Hang Maeo Police Station, along with military personnel, local officials, and a wild elephant pushback unit, inspected the site. The carcass, identified as a 7- to 10-year-old male elephant with tusks approximately 7-8 inches long and weighing 1.5 tons, was located about 200 meters from the road in the plantation.
Preliminary investigations revealed gunshot wounds on the elephant’s right ear, temple, left front leg, and right hind leg. Two 9mm bullet casings were recovered at the scene, and the remains were transported to the Khlong Kok Forest Protection Unit for autopsy and further forensic examination. Authorities also seized evidence, including bullet fragments, to aid in the investigation.
Local villagers, including a Laotian rubber tapper who initially found the body, speculated that the elephant was likely a young male forced out of its herd. Prasert Khamrak, an assistant village headman, suggested the animal might have been shot in self-defense or to drive it away. Meanwhile, rubber farmer Mit Wirat highlighted the growing elephant population and its impact on agriculture, calling for stronger measures to manage human-elephant conflicts effectively.
Efforts are ongoing to prevent further confrontations, with local authorities coordinating elephant monitoring teams and sharing updates with villagers through community networks. However, residents urge the expansion of these measures to cover a wider area and better protect both humans and wildlife.
