- Photo: The Nation/ANN
BANGKOK: A religious ceremony was held to bid farewell to “Fah Sai” and “Ploy Thong”, two female elephants from the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai province, who were washed away by a flash flood on Friday (Oct 4).
Their remains were buried at the site where they were found on Saturday.
Fah Sai and Ploy Thong were swept away by the floodwaters, and their bodies were later found on the grounds of a resort by the Mae Taeng River on Saturday.
The decision to bury the elephants on the resort's land was proposed as moving them was quite difficult due to the strong currents, mud, and debris.
The resort owner graciously allowed their burial on the land where they were found.
After the chanting by monks on Saturday night, a backhoe was used to dig the graves.
Cranes were then brought in to lift the elephants' bodies and place them into the graves.
Observers said it was a challenging task but eventually both were laid to rest.
Sangduen Chailert, the director of the Elephant Nature Park and president of the Elephant Conservation and Environmental Foundation, was deeply saddened by the loss of the two elephants.
She said she would plant pink trumpet trees in the area to turn the sorrow into brightness.
Regarding the ongoing rescue efforts for the elephants, officials reported that 117 out of the 126 elephants at the Elephant Nature Park had been rescued, leaving nine still in need of assistance.
Smaller animals, such as dogs and cats, have been rescued.
A few remaining livestock, such as goats and sheep, are still being helped by rescue teams and military personnel. - The Nation/ANN
