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PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN – A local administrative organisation in Hua Hin district is seeking approval from provincial authorities to set aside 29 million baht to put up fences to keep wild elephants away from farmland. Sunantha Pimthai, chairwoman of Huai Sat Yai tambon administration organisation (TAO) in Hua Hin district, said wild elephants from Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi had left the jungle to raid crops and farmland, affecting people in 11 villages in this tambon so far.
Pineapples, as well as durian and jackfruit trees and other crops, had been damaged by hungry pachyderms which raided the farmland every year, particularly during the drought, said Ms Sunantha. Frequent raids by jumbos forced villagers to stay overnight at their farmland to guard their crops.
The TAO has recently sought a 29-million-baht budget from Prachuap Khiri Khan provincial authorities to put up fences in the eastern side of the tambon from Village Moo 1 to Village Moo 9, covering the distance of 40km, said the TAO chairwoman. The fence project was a long-term measure to prevent crop-raiding elephants from entering farmland. To solve the pressing problem, the local body set up patrol teams to prevent wild elephants from raiding crops. She has also sought cooperation from local people not to erect electrified fences around their farmland following the deaths of some elephants