3-7-2023 (BANGKOK) Sak Surin, a jumbo elephant in poor health, has been flown from Sri Lanka to Chiang Mai and is now undergoing a 30-day quarantine at the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang province. The elephant’s arrival took place on Sunday, with the utmost care being taken to ensure his well-being.
Varawut Silpa-archa, the caretaker minister of natural resources and environment, reported that Sak Surin arrived at Chiang Mai airport at 2:03 p.m. on Sunday and was then transported by truck to the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang later that evening.
Upon his arrival, the male elephant was immediately placed in quarantine, in accordance with Livestock Department regulations. Sak Surin will undergo close monitoring for any signs of disease during this mandatory quarantine period, which will last for at least 30 days.
Mr. Varawut stated that Sak Surin appeared to be in normal condition upon reaching the centre. The elephant is now under the care of a team of professionals, including veterinarians and mahouts, who will ensure that he receives the rest and rehabilitation he needs. Additionally, this period will allow Sak Surin to readjust to the presence of Thai mahouts, the Thai language, and the environment he has been away from for over two decades.
While the general public is not permitted to visit Sak Surin in person during the quarantine, they can observe him via closed-circuit television at the centre in Lampang. To provide further access, the centre plans to live stream footage of the elephant on their fanpage twice a day, from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., although the specific date for the live broadcasts has not been announced.
คืนแรกของ #พลายศักดิ์สุรินทร์ ในศูนย์กักและเฝ้าระวังโรคช้าง อ.ห้างฉัตร จ.ลำปาง เมื่อเวลา 06.00 น. “พลายศักดิ์สุรินทร์” ยังนิ่งๆ แกว่งหูไปมา แต่ส่งเสียงร้องขออาหารเป็นระยะๆ ประมาณ 5-10 นาทีต่อครั้ง แต่พอควาญเอาหญ้ามาให้กินก็นิ่ง #พลายศักดิ์สุรินทร์ #ช้างไทย #ช้าง #SakSurin pic.twitter.com/i7xPWjtipG
— Thai PBS News (@ThaiPBSNews) July 3, 2023
In addition to the live streams, the centre intends to create a video documenting the elephant’s care during the quarantine period, which can be viewed in the future.
Once the quarantine is complete and Sak Surin has made a full recovery, he will be available for public viewing. The centre will make an announcement regarding the timing of this event.
When asked about the possibility of returning Sak Surin to Sri Lanka once he has recovered, Mr. Varawut declined to comment, stating that the focus at the moment is solely on the elephant’s treatment and well-being. The extent of the elephant’s recovery and the timeframe for it remain uncertain.
Suratchai Inwiset, the director of the elephant centre, reported that Sak Surin appeared refreshed on Monday morning, exhibited a better appetite, and had normal bowel movements. During the quarantine period, it is crucial that the elephant is not disturbed.
Sak Surin was originally one of three Thai elephants gifted to Sri Lanka in 2001 as a symbol of goodwill. After changing hands multiple times, he ended up at Aluthgama Kande Viharaya in southern Sri Lanka, where he participated in annual Buddhist parades, carrying sacred relics.
A Sri Lanka-based animal protection organization called Rally for Animal Rights and Environment (Rare) discovered that Sak Surin was being kept in leg chains and had sustained injuries all over his body. The organization insisted that the Thai government take action to bring the elephant back to Thailand for proper treatment and sanctuary.
The repatriation process took six months and involved cooperation between both governments and the Thai embassy in Colombo. Approximately 19.5 million baht from the emergency budget was allocated for the elephant’s repatriation.
