Two elephants have drowned at the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai’s Mae Taeng district following severe flooding that swept through the area. Park officials are now focused on rescuing other animals stranded by the rapidly rising waters. The flood, which struck late last week, has already claimed the lives of two of the park’s 126 elephants.
One of the elephants, a female named Phang Fah Sai, was discovered on Saturday morning near the Sibsan Resort, while the second elephant is believed to be Plang Mae Khor, who had a disability in one of her legs. However, park staff are still working to confirm her identity.
In a statement released by the park, it was shared with “deep sadness” that two elephants, Faa Sai and Ploy Thong, had been lost due to the flooding. Ploy Thong, rescued in 2018 from an elephant riding camp in Pattaya, had lived as a nanny to younger elephants at the park. Although blind, she thrived within her herd, guided by her companions. Tragically, Ploy Thong was separated from her herd in the floodwaters and could not be rescued despite the efforts of her caretaker.
Faa Sai, rescued in 2007, had a history of trauma and aggression after enduring harsh treatment in the phajaan, a process used to break elephants for work. Over time, she healed and became part of the Faa Mai herd, acting as a protective older sister to younger elephants. Despite her resilience, Faa Sai was swept away by the floods that inundated the sanctuary.
Saengduean Chailert, the park’s founder and a well-known conservationist, described the devastating impact of the floods on the animals in a Facebook post, referring to Friday as a “day of darkness and gloom.” She explained that despite the park’s efforts to move the elephants to higher ground when the flood warnings were issued on Thursday, the water levels continued to rise, overwhelming even the most elevated areas of the park. Many animals, including elephants, were trapped as floodwaters reached over three meters, surpassing the fences meant to contain them.
“Our animals are adrift in floodwater. Our elephants are not chained, but remain in fenced enclosures,” Chailert wrote. She confirmed that several elephants, including the blind Mae Ploydaeng and Plang Mae Meeboon, were carried away by the floodwaters before the staff could intervene. Cows and buffalo also went missing in the chaos, but she noted that all cats and dogs from the park had been accounted for and were safe.
A religious ceremony was held on Saturday night to bid farewell to Faa Sai and Ploy Thong. Their bodies were found on the grounds of a resort along the Mae Taeng River, and they were buried at the site due to the difficulty in moving them from the flood-stricken area. Resort owners allowed the burial to take place on their property, with cranes and backhoes brought in to manage the challenging task.
Meanwhile, a search effort involving helicopters from Wing 41 of the Royal Thai Air Force, led by Group Captain Phanpaporn Jinawat, has been underway to locate other missing elephants. Using infrared cameras, the helicopters detected three elephants in the area, and search teams were dispatched to track them.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the Royal Forest Department, and several volunteers have also been involved in the rescue efforts. Of the 126 elephants at the park, 114 have been moved to safety. However, nine male elephants remain stranded, two have died, and one is still missing. Other animals, including buffalo, goats, and dogs, have also been relocated to higher ground, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.