Elephant keepers plan to file complaint to govt

AYUTTHAYA, Feb 27 (TNA) – Elephant keepers nationwide met today at the Ayutthaya elephant kraal, saying they will file a complaint to the government to review the works of the wildlife authorities after the elephants were seized from the Ayutthaya kraal following DNA tests and identification processes. At today’s meeting, Laithongrien Meepan, owner of the Ayutthaya kraal was selected to head the newly-established elephant rights protenction group. The group proposed that the government review work of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation in identification of elephants after officials seized three elephants of Ayutthaya kraal, citing that DNA checks had found inconsistencies in the identification of some elephants at the Ayutthaya kraal. Laithongrien, the owners of the three elephant insisted that the three seized elephants were identified by DNA tests legally. Two of them were born at his kraal and were not taken from the wild. The accusation by the authorities that his organization has allegedly involved in dishonest identification of elephants had an impact on elephant keepers in general. After the meeting today, the group will have a resolution on their demand to be submitted to the government. They are also considering travelling to Bangkok to hand in the complaint letter to the prime minister at Government House. (TNA)