Muthu Raja will not be returned to Sri Lanka - Thai Government

• Muthu Raja is suffering from a cataract in the right eye, its front left leg cannot be bent, he has infected wounds on his hips and has problems with his nails and the soles of all four feet
• The animal is now under the patronage of the Thai King
• Commenting on a call from a senior monk in Sri Lanka for Bangkok to return the elephant once he fully recovers, Varawut said the matter is out of the question and not open for discussion

Thailand on Wednesday said that ailing elephant ‘Muthu Raja’ or ‘Sak Surin’ will not be returned to Sri Lanka, and the animal is now under the patronage of the Thai king, Thai PBS media agency reported yesterday.

Thailand on Wednesday said that the ailing elephant ‘Muthu Raja’ or ‘Sak Surin’ will not be returned to Sri Lanka and the animal is now under the patronage of the Thai King. 
It is out of the question that Sak Surin, now the most famous elephant in Thailand, will be returned to Sri Lanka, as he is now under the patronage of HM the King, said Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa on Wednesday. 

The minister also said that two other Thai elephants donated to Sri Lanka, Sri Narong and Pratupa, remain in Sri Lanka. He said it seems that Sri Lanka is capable of taking care of them and they are apparently in good health, although one of them has suffered minor injuries. 

According to media reports Sak Surin, who arrived in Thailand on Sunday, soon became familiar with his new environment, despite the fact that he had lived in Sri Lanka for 22 years. 
Commenting on a call from a senior monk in Sri Lanka for Bangkok to return the elephant once he fully recovers, Varawut said the matter is not even open for discussion. “Sak Surin is now under the patronage of the King, so that is out of the question,” Varawut said. Sak Surin is currently in quarantine for 30 days, at the elephant conservation centre in Hang Chat district of Lampang province. The elephant seems to be in a good mood, shaking his head and enjoying his food. 

After the quarantine period, vets will conduct more thorough checks on him. Initial examinations show that Sak Surin is suffering from a cataract in the right eye, its front left leg cannot bend, he has infected wounds on his hips and has problems with his nails and the soles of all four feet. 

Meanwhile some universities in Sri Lanka have contacted the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs to offer to take care of the other two Thai elephants now in Sri Lanka claiming they have the capability to do so.   

Those vocal about ’Muthu Raja’ silent on depleting culture: Thera

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama

There are people to raise their voices over sending ‘Muthu Raja’ or ‘Sak Surin’ to other country, but no one to raise their voices for the protection of the culture of the country, Anu Nayaka Thera of the Asgiri Chapter Venerable Anamaduwe Dhammadassi Thera said.He said people used to come to see elephants, but no one knew where the elephants were coming from.