Ailing Thai jumbo Sak Surin is in quarantine in Lampang province after being flown from Sri Lanka to Chiang Mai on Sunday.
Sak Surin landed at Chiang Mai airport at 2.03pm on Sunday, and was taken by truck to the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang that evening.
The male elephant was immediately put in quarantine and will be closely monitored for disease for at least 30 days.
An official said the elephant appeared normal when he arrived at the centre.
The elephant will also have the time to adjust to the Thai mahouts, the Thai language and the environment he had been away from for over 20 years.
People who want to see Sak Surin can do so at the centre in Lampang, but only on closed-circuit television.
After completing quarantine and fully recovering, the elephant will be available for public viewing.
Sak Surin is one of three Thai elephants gifted to Sri Lanka in 2001 as a goodwill ambassador for the country.
A Sri Lanka-based animal protection organisation learned that the elephant was being kept in leg chains and had injuries all over his body. It insisted the Thai government bring the elephant back for treatment and sanctuary.
His repatriation took six months of planning and cost about 19.5 million baht.
