After a five hour flight ‘Muthu Raja’ arrives in Thailand

July 02, Colombo: After a five-hour flight, the plane carrying "Muthu Raja" or "Sak Surin" elephant from Sri Lanka to Thailand, landed at Chiang Mai International Airport in Thailand today at 12.33 PM Sri Lanka time.

The Russian Aviacon Zitotrans flight AZS-5701 carrying the tusker left Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport at 07.30 this morning for Thailand’s Chiang Mai Airport.

The tusker Muthu Raja, a gift to former Sri Lanka, President Chandrika Kumaranatunga form Thai royal family in 2001 and later handed to the Aluthgama Kande Viharaya, was ailing due to the mistreatment and abuse by its caretakers.

When animal rights groups exposed the severe abuse the elephant suffered at the Temple, the Thai ambassador to Sri Lanka took the Muthu Raja elephant from the Kande Viharaya and entrusted it to Dehiwala Zoo for medical care last year.

However, the national zoo has not been able to provide the necessary treatment due to lack of facilities, and the Thai authorities have decided to take the elephant back to Thailand for expert care.

AFP reported that the 4,000-kilogram mammal was transported from Colombo airport on a one-way commercial flight, costing USD 700,000 according to Thai officials.

Muthu Raja was taken from his temporary home at the Dehiwela zoo before dawn in a specially designed steel cage. Four Thai handlers and a Sri Lankan keeper accompanied the elephant on the flight, while two CCTV cameras monitored its health during transit.

After arriving in Chiang Mai, the elephant will be quarantined at a nearby nature reserve.

You can read the article «ColomboPage» following the link below: http://www.colombopage.com/archive_23B/Jul03_1688323477CH.php