BANGKOK: Sak Surin, an elephant gifted to Sri Lanka in 2001, arrived home on Sunday following concerns from animal rights groups about the alleged mistreatment of the mammal.
The 29-year-old male jumbo flew out from Colombo airport on Sunday morning inside a specially constructed giant steel crate onboard a cargo plane and arrived safely in Chiang Mai at about 2pm after a five-hour flight.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa welcomed the jumbo at the airport.
In a statement, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said the 4,000-kg Sak Surin was transported (on Sunday) by a trailer to the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre (TECC) in Lampang for 30-day quarantine and medical care.
Upon his arrival, the veterinarians performed a health check on the elephant, and his condition was reported to be normal.
Earlier, Thai officials said the government allocated 19.5 million baht to bring home Sak Surin.
Sak Surin is one of the three elephants gifted by Thailand to Sri Lanka as a goodwill ambassador for Thailand.
However, last year, animal rights groups lodged complaints, alleging mistreatment that resulted in a serious deterioration in its health condition.
Media reported that Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told parliament in June he had personally conveyed Sri Lanka’s regrets to the Thai king over the elephant’s condition.
AFP reported that Sak Surin, also known as Muthu Raja, was in pain and covered in abscesses when it was rescued from its previous abode last year.
The news report quoted animal welfare groups saying the elephant had been forced to work with a logging crew and its wounds – some allegedly inflicted by its handler – had been neglected.
– BERNAMA
