Colombo, Oct. 19 (Daily Mirror) - Thai authorities are under pressure from animal rights activists to bring back two elephants donated to Sri Lanka, Environment Minister Dr. Dammika Patabendi said yesterday.
Dr. Patabendi told the Daily Mirror that his ministry was in contact with Thai authorities to assure them that the two elephants were being well looked after in Sri Lanka.
“This may be a politically motivated protest in Thailand. Some groups have demonstrated in front of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Bangkok. We have deployed veterinary surgeons to examine these elephants and submit reports on their condition,” he said.
Earlier, a 29-year-old male Thai elephant named Sak Surin, gifted to Sri Lanka by the Thai royal family in 2001 to carry Buddhist relics in religious processions, was repatriated to Thailand.
The elephant was flown back to Thailand on July 2, 2023, following a diplomatic row over allegations of neglect and severe leg injuries.