This was because they could be harmed by wild animals, he said, adding that officials had spotted a large herd of 32 wild elephants in the Krapod mountain part of the restricted area. Should any villagers find the elephants wandering outside the forest, they should immediately alert officials so that they could push them back into their area, he stressed. They have been asked not to harm the animals, and told that they could be prosecuted under the Wild Animals Act if they do so. The director explained that in the event that elephants or other wild animals wander out of the forest to eat or destroy villagers’ crops, they should notify the authorities so that they could seek compensation. Sa’s office has deployed patrol teams in Dong Yai National Reserved Forest to help push the wild animals back into the protected area if they stray outside.

Source: The Nation Bangkok May 28, 2019 10:03 UTC