Massive elephant herd emerges near Thap Lan National Park
A herd of at least 40 wild elephants was spotted near the forest border of Thap Lan National Park in Nakhon Ratchasima, prompting park officials and local villagers to step up overnight patrols to protect farmland and communities.
Last night, February 2, dozens of locals from Prong Sanuan village in Lam Phiak subdistrict, Khon Buri district, gathered to help authorities monitor and push back wild elephants after several of them emerged from the forest to forage and caused damage to nearby farmland.
Park officials confirmed that around 40 wild elephants had been seen moving close to the forest boundary. Thap Lan National Park’s response team, equipped with thermal drones, conducted all-night surveillance to support the local community.
At one point, a lone elephant was spotted wandering beyond the forest zone.
Yotsawat Thiansawat, Director of the Protected Area Regional Office 1 (Prachin Buri), and Prawattisat Chanthep, head of Thap Lan National Park, acknowledged that the park’s elephant population has grown significantly.
According to them, as many as 200 elephants have formed large herds within the Nakhon Ratchasima section of the park.
These elephants have been foraging and damaging crops in border villages, particularly in Udom Sap subdistrict of Wang Nam Khiao district and Chorakhe Hin in Khon Buri district.
In response, park officials and local partners have maintained a joint operation to monitor and deter the herds for over four months. This appears to have prompted the elephants to split into smaller groups to avoid confrontation and access food more easily.
At popular tourist destinations within the park, including the scenic viewpoint at Pha Kep Tawan in Wang Nam Khiao, park authorities have ramped up patrols to protect visitors, especially during the winter camping season.
Khaosod reported that while no elephants have entered those areas, signs of at least two elephants were discovered near Khao Salad Dai, a well-known hilltop viewpoint.
That location was already closed to tourists following a tiger sighting near a community in early December last year, part of ongoing precautions to ensure dangerous wildlife does not remain in accessible zones.
Separately, the Department of National Parks has announced its annual closure of Thap Lan National Park from March 1 to the end of May next year. The closure aligns with wildfire season and aims to give the ecosystem time to regenerate.
In similar news, a man was killed after being attacked by a wild elephant while camping with friends at Khao Yai National Park in Nakhon Ratchasima province. The incident took place as the man was out for a walk near the campsite, located in the Wang Nam Khiao district.
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