via The Nation, 22 July 2019: The dispute over the Ayutthaya elephant kraal seems to have evolved, with locals filing a complaint to the ombudsman over restoration of the kraal.
Activist Srisuwan Janya and a group of Ayutthaya citizens asked the Ombudsman on Monday (July 22) to determine whether the heads of the government’s Fine Arts Department and Ayutthaya Historical Park had blundered in the restoration of the Ayutthaya Royal Elephant Kraal and possibly misappropriated funds earmarked for the project.
Piya Leudechakul, director of Complaint Investigation in the Ombudsman’s Office, was urged to investigate the two individuals, who he said would be discharged or transferred if found guilty of wrongdoing.
Srisuwan said the wooden elephant compound was restored unlawfully in that the Fine Arts Department cut off the tops of supporting Talung pillars, thus overriding historical accuracy, and excluding citizens from the planning process.
