NEWS -Elephants Latest Refugees of

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Subject: NEWS -Elephants Latest Refugees of Myanmar Fighting

Elephants Latest Refugees of Myanmar Fighting

            Reuters
            26-JAN-99

            BANGKOK, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Sporadic jungle fighting in
            Myanmar has created a new type of refugee-- a herd of
            nearly 100 elephants which have fled into neighbouring
            Thailand. 

            Villagers spotted the herd of 97 wild elephants last week in
            Kui Buri district of Thailand's western province of Prachuab
            Khiri Khan bordering Myanmar. 

            Theeraphol Prachuabmoh, the headman of Ngajkham village
            about 25 km (15 miles) from the frontier, told Reuters that
a
            small herd of wild elephants had been living in jungle areas
            between the village and the border for years. 

            But since last year, when Myanmar troops pushed ethnic
            Karen guerrillas up to the borderline, the herd had swollen
in
            size and the elephants were unwilling to return to Myanmar. 

            "The area was quiet for most of the past decade, but since
            Myanmar troops drove the Karen back and stationed
            themselves right on the border we started having frightened
            elephants running into my village," he said. 

            "Myanmar troops pulled out from the border several months
            ago but the elephants seem to want to stay on in Thailand
            for good," he said. 

            "Maybe they like the taste of the pineapples here."