The vaccination drive has drawn criticism that it might undermine conservation efforts of an animal seen as a symbol of the nation
Last year, wild elephants killed 30 people and injured 29 in Thailand, according to official figures, which also noted more than 2,000 incidents of elephants damaging crops.
Sukhee Boonsang, director of the Wildlife Conservation Office, said that controlling the wild elephant population had become necessary as numbers of elephants living near residential areas rise sharply, increasing the risk of confrontations.
The office obtained 25 doses of a US-made vaccine and conducted a two-year trial on seven domesticated elephants – using up seven doses of the vaccine – which yielded promising results, he said.
Source: News - South China Morning Post
