Unveiling the “Community Wild Elephants” of Khao Yai, Part 2:

Duan is another community wild elephant (Khao Yai) that many people are currently worried about and concerned for because he has sustained an injury to his left hind leg. The injury appears to be a 2-inch long cut, causing the leg to swell and affecting his gait.

For those who are worried, please rest assured because right now (January 18), the veterinarian has reached Duan behind Ban Khao Wong School, Nong Nam Daeng Subdistrict, Pak Chong District. The doctor chose to administer anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics by stuffing them into bananas and jackfruit, waiting until he ate them all before dispersing. Initially, the veterinarian will provide medication this way for another 3-5 days and then evaluate the symptoms again.

Phlai Duan (Mu Si) or Duan Wanalii is estimated to be over 40 years old with a height of approximately 3.2 meters.

His standout characteristic is a severed tail, leaving a short length of only 60 centimeters, which is the origin of the name “Duan” (Amputated/Short). It is presumed this might have happened from fighting while he was still a young elephant in the forest, or he might have been attacked by other animals. As for his left tusk, it broke during a fight with Phlai Chom View or Biang Yai around late July 2025. Another observable trait is the signs of his life experiences, resulting in scars all over his body.

“Duan” is considered one of the senior elephants in the Khao Yai forest. He has a composed temperament and is a wild animal that is reasonably cautious. Even when in a community with traffic, he remains composed. However, if approached within a range of about 80-100 meters, he might chase or bluff charge. Despite being this cautious, he is quite seasoned. Duan is considered one of the community wild elephants with a “stealthy” habit, liking to sneak in and dismantle people’s houses, especially kitchens, which are sources of minerals.

The other name, “Phlai Duan Wanalii,” was derived from his exploit of wrecking a restaurant named Wanalii on Khao Yai to find food. Every year around December, it is the cycle for Duan to walk up Khao Yai mountain to return to his old territory.

Duan has another exploit: he likes to raid the banana plantations of the Tha Maprang-Khlong Phle community, to the point where villagers had to turn a crisis into an opportunity, coming up with a famous snack called “P’Duan’s Bananas.”

Because when Duan walks down from Khao Yai and passes the banana plantations, he stops to eat. However, since wild elephants don't eat the banana fruit—choosing only the pith—he leaves whole bunches of bananas as a souvenir. The villagers, therefore, take the bananas Duan left behind to make banana chips, becoming a hot signature product from the Ban Tha Maprang-Khlong Phle community without realizing it.

When inquiring with the wild elephant push team regarding aggression levels, rated from 1-5 stars (from low to high in case of threats), Duan gets 2 stars.

As for pushing him back into the forest, rated from 1-5 stars from easy to hard (depending on the area), everyone speaks with one voice: 5 stars. The difficulty isn't because he is ferocious, but rather it involves “using calmness to subdue movement.” Simply put, Duan is not afraid of humans at all.

If anyone visiting Khao Yai happens to encounter an elephant with a short tail of about 60 centimeters, that means you have met the famous Duan of Mu Si, the real deal!

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