Treatment for wounded elephant
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A five-year-old elephant wounded during a gunfight between authorities and a wildlife smuggling ring in Ratchaburi's Suan Phung district on Tuesday will be sent to Lampang for treatment.
Damrong Pidech, director-general of the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, said yesterday that an investigation found that a Suan Phung policeman’s son and a local politician from a neighbouring province were involved in the ring’s operation.
The ring was also suspected of having a connection with the slaughter of an elephant in Phetchaburi, said Damrong, who was visiting the wounded elephant at Khao Prathab Chang Wildlife Centre in Chom Bung district.
While trying to deliver the young jumbo to Saraburi through Suan Phung, the gang, believed also to hunt elephants in Phetchaburi, ran into officials and the gunfight ensued.
Officials say they will search for the remaining gang members and another elephant.
