The Department of National Parks clarifies the facts regarding the wild elephant case. "Sida Ohupab" the cause of death. The task force confirms the elephant was 15-20 years old, relocated according to standard protocols under veterinary supervision. Meanwhile, Director-General Atthapol has ordered a temporary suspension of the relocation of three other elephants.
Regarding the death of the wild elephant "Sida Ohupab" during a relocation operation under the Khon Kaen Administrative Court's order, which sparked public calls for Director-General Atthapol Charoenchansa of the Department of National Parks to take responsibility by resigning, with demands that "Sida Ohupab" must not have died in vain.
On 12 Feb 2026, Director-General Atthapol Charoenchansa of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, along with executives and the working team including Mr. Sukhee Boonsang, Director of the Wildlife Conservation Office; Mr. Natthawat Nuisriram, Director of Protected Area Management Office 8 (Khon Kaen); Ms. Kittiyaporn Eamsaad, department veterinarian; and Mr. Thit Sonsa, head of the elephant capture and relocation team, jointly held a press conference to explain the sequence of events.
Director-General Atthapol Charoenchansa expressed his condolences over the incident and the loss of the wild elephant "Sida Ohupab," describing it as a heartbreaking event nobody wished to happen. He affirmed that the operation was conducted based on scientific principles, balancing animal welfare and public safety as priorities. He ordered a swift review of all facts and said this case would serve as an important lesson to improve operational guidelines to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Mr. Natthawat Nuisriram, Director of Protected Area Management Office 8 (Khon Kaen), detailed the background, stating that this group of wild elephants had caused disturbances in Khon Kaen province since 2023, injuring two people and causing two fatalities. This led to the Khon Kaen Administrative Court's order on 31 Oct 2025 for the Department of National Parks to relocate all four elephants within 30 days, as the court deemed relief measures for residents could not be delayed. Officials thus had to prioritize relocating "Sida Ohupab" first.
Ms. Kittiyaporn Eamsaad, the department veterinarian, explained the drug use and autopsy results: "We administered sedatives calculated based on the elephant's weight of 2-2.5 tons and height of 2.44 meters, consistent with a mature elephant aged 15-20 years. Four doses of sedative were given, but during relocation, the elephant showed abnormal agitation and rapidly deteriorated. Despite emergency veterinary intervention with one additional antidote injection—totaling five doses—and CPR, the efforts failed. Preliminary autopsy revealed respiratory failure caused by aspiration of food blocking the airway, an unavoidable incident triggered by accumulated stress. ."
Veterinarian Kittiyaporn also noted operational challenges: "Fasting wild elephants for 10-15 hours before sedation is practically impossible because we cannot instruct them to stop eating. We therefore proposed studying the 'biological clock,' specifically the period when elephants rest and begin digesting food (03:00-05:00 a.m.), to identify an optimal time for operations. Additionally, we will ensure transparent monitoring of drug use and bodily secretions to enhance future drug administration standards."
Mr. Thit Sonsa, head of the elephant capture and relocation team, confirmed that field operations—from area control, leg tying, to loading elephants onto trucks—were carried out following the highest standards under close veterinary supervision. This procedure has been performed similarly 32 times. Regarding age assessment, he confirmed the elephants are between 15-20 years old, determined by external features such as ear spots and white edges on the ears; more spots indicate older age, as well as the shape of ear folds from above.
He added that reports and photos from local officials in Phu Wiang confirm the elephant was in musth, a condition observed in male elephants aged 15 years and older. Height estimates based on footprint circumference multiplied by two suggest the elephant stood about 2.40 meters tall, consistent with an age range of 15 to 20 years.
In closing, Director-General Atthapol Charoenchansa summarized the review process, saying, "To ensure maximum transparency, I have coordinated with investigators to participate in examining the body and recording evidence at every step before autopsy and burial. As for the remaining three elephants—Plai Ngajio, Plai Kutang, and Sida Noi—I have ordered a temporary suspension of their relocation to report operational obstacles to the public prosecutor and present to the Administrative Court the constraints regarding animal welfare and community acceptance at the destination areas. We will await a full 100% evaluation of this incident before considering next steps to ensure any new approach guarantees the highest safety for both staff and wildlife."