The government will close the road passing through the Khao Ang Rue Nai wildlife sanctuary in Chachoengsao after a series of accidents caused injuries to animals, according to Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan.
Gen Prawit, also chairman of the Five Provinces Bordering Forest Preservation Foundation, said the 3259 road needed to be closed after numerous reports of wild animals being hit by cars.
Last week, a clip of a young elephant being hit by a car was widely shared on social media.
In the video the animal appeared to suffer injuries to its rear legs and a veterinary team from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation is now searching for it to administer treatment.
Without saying when the closure will take place, Gen Prawit said motorists would not be affected because a new 64km road, which will detour the sanctuary, would be complete soon.
A well-placed source said Gen Prawit, who has been active in forest protection, had pushed for the road construction to protect the wildlife there.
The construction started last year and will complete by the end of this year.
According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, around 14,000 animals in the sanctuary were killed annually in road accidents prior to the introduction of night time road closures in 2012. Since then the toll has fallen to 3,000 a year.
Gen Surasak Kanjanarat, of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, said the authority would meet the Department of Highways on how to deal with the problem in the meantime.
Possible solutions include the implementation of speed bumps to slow vehicles down, warning signs, special buffer zones to provide greater visibility to drivers, and further temporary road closures.
Gen Surasak said the population of wild elephants has grown by 8% over the last few years.
Currently, there are 2,300 wild elephants and ensuring they continue to thrive is of paramount importance, he added.
