Phu Kradueng National Park in Loei province is expected to reopen by Christmas Day, after being closed following a fatal elephant attack on a tourist last week.
“Currently, we expect that the park to reopen before December 25, Christmas Day, which will be followed by the long New Year holiday,” said Attapon Charoenchansa, director general of the National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation Department.
He also said, though, that it will only reopen once safety can be ensured.
The elephant attacked and killed a 49-year-old Thai tourist last Wednesday, on a footpath between the Phra Buddha Metta statue and the Pop Mai waterfall.
The park’s closure was ordered for safety reasons, as the elephant, which appeared to be in musth, was still roaming in the area.
About a thousand tourists in the park at the time were evacuated and accommodation bookings were suspended.
Tourists walk down after the order is issued.
Attapon’s department has deployed veterinarians and wildlife officials to the area to locate and control the animal.
Many vendors complain that they are being badly affected by the closure, as they had stocked up on fresh meat and produce in anticipation of a weekend influx of tourists. The longer the national park remains closed, the worse the harm to their businesses will be, they claim.
Meanwhile, many of the 200 porters in the national park have been kept busy carrying belongings for the tourists being evacuated.
