Supreme Admin Court Orders Scientific Relocation of Three Wild Elephants
Thailand's Supreme Administrative Court has ordered the Department of National Parks to relocate three wild elephants in Khon Kaen province using scientifically sound methods that prioritize safety for the animals, officials, and residents. The ruling overturns a lower court order and requires the department to submit progress reports every 30 days. The case stems from a lawsuit alleging the department failed to prevent elephants from leaving a forest reserve and endangering nearby communities.
Khon Kaen — The Supreme Administrative Court has overturned the lower court's order, directing the Department of National Parks to relocate three wild elephants using appropriate methods grounded in strict scientific principles while ensuring the safety of the elephants, officials, and the public. The department must report progress to the court every 30 days until a final judgment is issued.
On November 11, 2026, the Khon Kaen Administrative Court read the Supreme Administrative Court's Order No. 1119/2026 in the case between Ms. Wansiri Sinamburi and five co-plaintiffs against the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. The department had appealed the lower court's interim protection order issued before judgment.
The Supreme Administrative Court ordered the department to relocate the three remaining wild elephants — Nga Jiew, Kuthang, and Si Do Noi — using suitable procedures under its statutory authority and scientific expertise, with due regard for the safety of the animals, staff, and local residents. Progress reports are due every 30 days until the court rules otherwise.
The lawsuit alleges the department neglected its legal duty to control wildlife and prevent elephants from leaving the forest reserve, endangering lives and property in nearby communities. Plaintiffs sought an order to capture and move the elephants to a distant national park or other suitable area.
Previously, the Khon Kaen Administrative Court had ordered the department to capture and relocate four elephants — Nga Jiew, Kuthang, Huaphab, and Si Do Noi — within 30 days and report each successful relocation. The department appealed that order.
The Supreme Administrative Court ruled that elephants are protected wildlife under the department's statutory mandate to conserve, protect, manage, and enable coexistence between humans and wildlife in forest buffer zones. The court has authority to issue interim measures but must weigh appropriateness, necessity, and impact on all parties, and is not bound to grant every remedy requested.
The court recognized that elephant relocation is complex; each animal behaves differently — some are aggressive, others not — requiring case-by-case assessment of behavior, physical condition, risk level, terrain, weather, and safety of all involved. Available measures include driving elephants from the area, monitoring and tracking, area control, or capture and relocation. These decisions fall within the department's professional discretion as the agency with direct authority, expert personnel, and necessary scientific data to manage wildlife appropriately.
