People Opinions on Management of Wild Elephants Straying Outside Khao Yai National Park: Sarika Sub-district Community, Mueang Nakhon Nayok District, Nakhon Nayok Province

Abstract

            This research aimed to examine the economic, social, general information and people opinions including factors affecting their opinions on management of wild elephants straying outside Khao Yai National Park in the Sarika Sub-district Community in Mueang Nakhon Nayok District, Nakhon Nayok Province. Data were collected by using the designed questionnaire for interviewing 373 households or representatives. The data were analyzed by using percentage, mean, minimum, maximum, standard deviation, and testing the setting hypothesis by employing t-test and F-test with the given significance level 0.05.

              The results of this study indicated that most of the respondents were male of their average age of 46.87 years. Their educational levels were a bachelor’s degree and were married. Households’ members had an average of 3.62 and previously settled in the village. Their main occupation was merchants and had casual occupations. Their average annual household income was 434,949.60 baht/year and average land use was 3.13 rais. Respondents were not members of any group related to wild elephants and had experienced property and their agricultural products damaged by wild elephants. They perceived the boundaries of National Park clearly and received information about wild elephants. They held that Khao Yai National Park officers helped and solved their wild elephant problem by establishing community network to monitor and pressure wild elephants. They also collaborated with Khao Yai National Park officer through meetings and by providing feedback. Their opinions on wild elephant management straying outside Khao Yai National Park were at agree- level at x̄=3.42. Factors affecting people’s opinions on wild elephant management were gender, number of household members, main occupation, amount of land ownership, impact from wild elephants and the boundary perception of Khao Yai National Park.