Members of the Sak Surin fan club, the Thai elephant recently repatriated from Sri Lanka, will have a chance to meet him during Thailand’s Mother’s Day holidays, between August 11th and 13th, after the end of his 30-day quarantine period.

Sak Surin is currently quarantined at the National Elephant Institute of the Forest Industry Organisation in Lampang province, which is opposite the Elephant Conservation Centre.

Suratchai Inviset, the director of the institute, told Thai PBS today (Friday) that veterinarians at the institute will collect specimens from Sak Surin for final tests on July 30th, with the results expected in one week, after which the elephant will be moved to the Elephant Conservation Centre for further medical treatment.

Although the Elephant Conservation Centre is located just the opposite the institute, he said a truck will be used and the elephant will be trained to enter and exit the vehicle, which will not be not difficult for a tame elephant like Sak Surin, said Suratchai.

Veterinarians from Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen universities, the Livestock Development Department, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation and the Zoological Park of Thailand are meeting this afternoon to work out a treatment plan for Sak Surin.

The elephant’s left front leg is still stiff and cannot bend, which is the result of wound and improper treatment while he was at a temple in Sri Lanka. His right eye is also has a cataract.