Video clips posted on social media by the national parks department chief, showing a helicopter circling and chasing an elephant in Phu Kradueng National Park, have drawn criticism, prompting him to defend his actions.
Attapon Charoenchansa posted the clips, which he said were taken on December 17th, and explained that he saw the elephant on an open plain.
The clips show the helicopter flying around the animal, which appeared startled and ran into a nearby forest.
The clips have attracted hundreds of comments, some of which criticise Attapon, arguing that his duty is to protect the animals, not to chase them away.
One commenter said, “You should not prioritise tourism over the lives of animals.” Another asked, “Is this fun for you? That elephant was peacefully there and was very startled.”
Attapon explained that he was in the helicopter to survey the national park, in preparation for its reopening on Monday.
The park had been closed on December 13 for safety reasons, after an elephant fatally attacked a tourist two days earlier.
Attapon said that, during the survey, an elephant called ‘Si Dor Dam’ was found about two kilometres from the Wang Kwang tourist centre and near a landfill, adding that “The elephant may have smelled salt and food scraps, so it came to the area to find something to eat.”
He explained that circling the helicopter is a way to encourage the elephant to leave the area and not to return.
During the survey, two more elephants were spotted in the area. Attapon stressed that they also need to be moved farther away, to ensure the safety of both people and the animals.
