The Apsara Authority and Elephant Management Association has started transferring elephants in the Angkor area to Bos Thom community forest in Siem Reap province’s Sout Nikom district in a bid to stop the animals from being used to ferry tourists around. Long Kosal, Apsara Authority spokesman, yesterday said that for several years elephants have been used to serve the tourism sector in the Angkor area.

 

He said that to promote the well-being of the animals and allow them to live in their natural environment, the Elephant Management Association, in cooperation with the Apsara Authority, is gradually transporting elephants out of the Angkor area. “The elephant is a big animal, but it is also gentle and we don’t want to see the animals being used for tourism activities anymore,” Mr Kosal noted. “We want them to live in their natural surroundings.”

 

He said that out of 14 elephants in the Angkor Archaeological Park, two were yesterday transported to the Bos Thom community forest in Sout Nikom district’s Khnar Por commune in order for them to live naturally and under the care of the Elephant Management Association. “The remaining elephants will be gradually transported and we expect the exercise to finish by early next year,” Mr Kosal said.

 

read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50660036/apsara-authority-moves-elephants-out-of-angkor-area/

Very good initiative ;
hoping that the Thai follows it by banning the same practices in Ayuttaya and in far too many tourist sites.
The back of an elephant is fragile; to support a huge basket more the weight of tourists inside it does very badly;
if in addition he must walk on bitumen or cement it becomes a hell for him.