Thai park defends using spark device to scare off elephant over online backlash

A Thai national park defended using sparks to scare off an elephant after online backlash.

Chaiya Huayhongtong, chief of Khao Yai National Park, responded to the criticism on July 12 after officers drove away the wild elephant Plai Sarika in Nakhon Nayok, Thailand.

He said the officer seen in the footage using sparks was a member of the park's wild elephant monitoring unit.

The apparent close proximity between the officer and the elephant was caused by the camera angle, which made the distance appear shorter than it actually was.

The park appreciated the public's feedback and would use it as a lesson to improve its communication and establish clearer operational guidelines.

It has also set up a fact-finding committee to investigate the incident from all perspectives to ensure transparency and fairness for all parties involved.

The findings will be made public and used to further improve future operational procedures.

Sathaporn Teerawat, head of National Park Management Zone 6, said officers had been continuously driving Plai Sarika back into the forest.

The elephant had been in musth for the past two months, making it more aggressive, less responsive to its surroundings and more likely to confront people than usual.

As a result, gentle pushback methods and light barriers that had previously been effective were no longer sufficient.

On the day of the incident, Plai Sarika led a herd of more than 20 wild elephants into a durian plantation, causing damage and posing a threat to nearby residents.

Because the elephant was in musth and displaying heightened aggression, officers urgently needed to drive the herd out of the community to ensure public safety.

Sathaporn said officers and volunteers chose to use sparks instead of loud equipment because it produced no explosive noise that could trigger panic or acoustic distress among the elephants.

They were intended only to briefly divert the elephant's attention and stop its forward movement, without causing any physical injury.

Sathaporn confirmed that the park had appointed a fact-finding committee to investigate the incident and had instructed officers to adjust their methods where appropriate.

Future operations would focus on proactive monitoring, daily risk assessments and movement route evaluations in cooperation with wildlife experts, while strengthening collaboration with local communities to reduce food attractants and minimise the chances of elephants leaving the forest.