Dept seeks conflict compensation fund

Dept seeks conflict compensation fund
wild animals in the Nakhon Ratchasima city of Khon Buri. Prasit Tangprasert ( picture )

To compensate those whose lives have been harmed by conflicts with wild elephants, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife and Plant Conservation ( DNP ) has requested a budget of 50 million baht.

The goal is to lessen conflicts between people and exotic animals, according to Phadet Laithong, chairman of the DNP’s Wildlife Conservation Office.

According to the DNP, there are now 4, 013- 4, 422 more exotic animals in the country than there were 3, 500 to 4, 000 in 2018. According to the DNP, 180 people were hurt and 202 died as a result of wild elephant episodes between 2015 and the start of 2024.

In Chachoengsao’s Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary, about 150 wild animals lately wandered into farmland and communities from the jungle in search of food. Harvests were hurt as a result, and women’s existence were impacted.

According to Mr. Phadet, the wildlife sanctuary is home to 592 exotic animals, according to the DNP. According to him, the amount was higher than the 492 elephants that were officially counted in 2018.

About 100 soldiers from the DNP’s Protected Area Region Offices in Prachin Buri and Si Racha in Chon BurI started patrolling the forest borders after the crazy animals were driven again into the forests, according to him. This was done to stop the animals from returning until the end of April.

Robust measures must be taken to stop exotic animals from leaving protected areas, he said. Having a center to control wild elephant activity is one of these.

Captain Rachata Phisitbanakorn, his vice-minister, was invited to visit the temple with DNP producer common Athapol Charoenshunsa on Thursday by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Pol Gen Patcharawat Wongsuwan.

To address the elephant problem, Capt. Rachata met with the Protected Area Regional Office’s executives in the eastern regions.

According to Mr. Phadet, the first step is to create an emergency team to travel wild animals back into the forest and stop them from leaving designated areas.