The research aimed to survey the attitudes of residents of Chanthaburi Province towards the problems caused by wild elephants and the proposed guidelines for solutions. The mixed methods of quantitative and qualitative research methods were used in this study. The quantitative data were collected from 400 residents who responded to the questionnaire. The qualitative data were obtained from in-depth interviews with key informants having personal knowledge of and experience with the problems and the solutions regarding the wild elephants. The research findings regarding the problems of the wild elephants revealed the residents of Chanthaburi province strongly agreed that: 1) The elephants are national heritage animals of Thailand; 2) The wild elephant problems had been caused by drought conditions in the forest; 3) It was appropriate to declare March 13th as National Elephant Day. The findings also showed the Chanthaburi residents agreed that: 1) Loss of natural habitat was a cause of the problems; 2) Deforestation caused the wild elephants to invade and eat cultivated crops; 3) Thai people remembered favorably the historical role of the elephants in the defense of Thailand’s Independence. The research findings regarding the proposed guidelines for the solutions to the wild elephant problems revealed that the residents of Chanthaburi province strongly agreed that: 1) Plants should be cultivated in the forest for elephant consumption; 2) Farmers who suffered losses from the wild elephant incursions should be compensated by the government; 3) Artificial salt licks should be placed and maintained in the forest. The findings also showed the Chanthaburi residents agreed that: 1) Elephant migration paths should be established; 2) The Government should provide land for a community controlled and managed wild life preserve for the elephants; 3) Lights should be installed in the communities to keep the wild elephants away. The residents of Chanthaburi were uncertain if they agreed with a proposition to abolish the wild elephant protection law as a means to solve the problems.
