Sacred Karen tusks returnedVillagers in traditional attire carry 400-year-old sacred elephant tusks back to the Karen 'long-haired hermit' community following their return on Thursday in Tak's Ban Lay Tong Ku, Umphang district. (Photo: Aswin Pinitwong)Tak province has returned a pair of 400-year-old sacred elephant tusks to the Karen "long-haired hermit" community of Lay Tong Ku in Umphang district, ending a years-long dispute over the culturally significant artefacts. The tusks were formally handed back during a ceremony yesterday presided over by Umphang district chief Manoch Phoniaem. Thai authorities later coordinated with the Karen Buddhist Democratic Army to recover the tusks. For security reasons, they were kept at the Umphang district office pending the resolution of ownership issues.

Source: Bangkok Post February 27, 2026 02:10 UTC