Radkelao is preparing to submit a motion to set up a special committee to reform Thai elephant laws, which have been used for over a century and have become outdated, along with five other urgent motions to address pressing issues.
On 13 March 2026 GMT+7, Radkelao Intawong Suwankiri, a party-list MP from the Democrat Party, revealed plans to drive significant legislative work by submitting a motion to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The motion requests the establishment of a special parliamentary committee to study concrete and sustainable ways to protect Thai elephants. The goal is to resolve conflicts between humans and wildlife and to elevate the welfare of Thai elephants to align with international standards.
Radkelao stated that Thailand still relies on elephant protection laws enacted in 1900 and 1921 CE (during the reigns of King Rama V and VI), which are over 100 to 120 years old. These laws are ineffective in addressing modern challenges, especially three main issues: increasingly complex and high-tech international wildlife trafficking networks; habitat encroachment from urban expansion and overlapping infrastructure with elephant migration routes; and escalating human-elephant conflicts resulting in loss of life and property.
“We have elephant protection laws that have been neglected for over a century while elephant populations continue to decline, but cases of abuse and habitat conflicts are rising. It is time for real reform,” Radkelao said, citing the tragic case of “Si Do Hu Phap” during a state official’s relocation operation as an example that highlights the severe failure of current management mechanisms to protect wildlife. The committee aims to expedite the drafting of the Protection of Thai Elephants Act, which remains pending, and to involve civil society in accordance with Section 57 of the constitution.
Beyond elephant issues, the Democrat Party plans to propose five other significant motions to improve Thai people's quality of life. These include gender equality, recognition of gender identity and appropriate use of gender-specific titles; a Gender Data budget to develop sex-disaggregated databases for fair budget allocation; protection for platform workers with welfare systems for riders and freelancers; an elderly care fund to develop community caregivers to support an aging society in the long term; and rights for female prisoners to improve prison living conditions and prepare them for dignified reintegration into society.