Tak governor has ordered local authorities to join the police to hunt down elephant poachers in Mae Tuen wildlife sanctuary after an elephant was slaughtered and its chopped body parts were scattered on a jungle road.

The Tak governor Mr Somchai Hatayatanti’s manhunt was ordered after locals alerted authorities of decomposing body parts of an elephant were scattered on a jungle road in Mae Tuen wildlife sanctuary.

Questioning of Karen locals in the elephant raising Pagayo village living near the vicinity of the sanctuary revealed nobody claimed ownership of the slaughtered elephant.

But authorities said they suspected it might be a wild elephant which came near the village looking for food and was harmed by villagers.

Another possibility was that it might be a raised elephant in the village but died of sickness and the owner refused to report its death to authorities with hope to find another wild elephant to replace it.

However authorities will continue to hunt elephant poachers in the sanctuary which remains rife.

Manhunt ordered for elephant poachers[at] - Thai PBS English News