PHUKET: One of the elephants that helped to pioneer the trekking business on Phuket died today after a long illness.
The female, named Wassana, was aged 55 to 60 years and had not been able to work for about two years, an elephant handler said.
''She was one of the first trekking elephants on Phuket,'' said Dr Jirayu Niranwiroj, the veterinarian from Phuket's Provincial Livestock Office.
The ageing elephant died about 4.30pm at the Safari Tour Phuket camp on the road between Patong and Karon.
Wassana had been ill for two years and failed to respond to treatment at a specialist elephant treatment camp in Krabi, a neighboring province.
Elephants in captivity can live to the age of 70 or 80, Dr Jirayu said.
North of Phuket, a tourist needed hospital treatment today after an unhappy encounter with an elephant.
A German man and his wife, passing on a motorcycle, pulled over when they spotted an adult female, Mora, 26, grazing outside the Khao Lak Merlin Resort in Phang Nga province.
The elephant did not appreciate all the attention and pushed the woman to the ground. She was treated for slight wounds at Thai Muang Hospital.
The female, named Wassana, was aged 55 to 60 years and had not been able to work for about two years, an elephant handler said.
''She was one of the first trekking elephants on Phuket,'' said Dr Jirayu Niranwiroj, the veterinarian from Phuket's Provincial Livestock Office.
The ageing elephant died about 4.30pm at the Safari Tour Phuket camp on the road between Patong and Karon.
Wassana had been ill for two years and failed to respond to treatment at a specialist elephant treatment camp in Krabi, a neighboring province.
Elephants in captivity can live to the age of 70 or 80, Dr Jirayu said.
North of Phuket, a tourist needed hospital treatment today after an unhappy encounter with an elephant.
A German man and his wife, passing on a motorcycle, pulled over when they spotted an adult female, Mora, 26, grazing outside the Khao Lak Merlin Resort in Phang Nga province.
The elephant did not appreciate all the attention and pushed the woman to the ground. She was treated for slight wounds at Thai Muang Hospital.
