Tourist killed by same elephant that previously killed two people at Thailand national park

A wild bull elephant has killed a third tourist at a national park in Thailand this week, according to multiple news outlets. 

The man, identified as Jirathachai Jiraphatboonyathorn from Muang district of Lop Buri, was exercising metres away from his camp at the Khao Yai National Park with his wife at about 5.30am on Monday, February 2, when he was attacked by the elephant. 

Jirathachai, who is in his 60s, encountered Phlai Oiwan, a bull elephant feeding outside his forest boundary. The elephant charged at the man, grabbing him by its trunk and slamming him to the ground and stomped on him according to the Post. 

He was examined by rescue workers and a doctor, who found that he suffered broken limbs and other injuries, the paper reported. 

Wanchai Kaenchantuek, the head of the Khao Yai 4 (Khlong Pla Kang) park protection unit, said he heard the elephant and cries for help. When he rushed to check, he found the victim and alerted the relevant officials. 

The horror attack took place as the other campers watched in horror. 

Jiraphatboonyathorn’s wife, who was with him at the time of the incident, managed to escape after rangers scared the creature away, national park official Chaiya Huayhongthong told AFP. 

Chaiya Huayhongthong told AFP that the officials will meet on Friday, Feb. 6, to decide what to do with the animal. “We will probably decide to relocate him or change his behaviour,” he told the news agency. 

The forest officials have ordered an increase in patrolling and monitoring activity, as they urged the tourists to exercise caution. 

He is the third reported victim to be k!lled by the same elephant, according to the reports, though Huayhongthong told AFP that the animal could have killed more people. 

More than 220 people, including tourists, have been killed by wild elephants since 2012, Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation said, the AFP reported.