A wild bull elephant killed a tourist exercising near his tent on Monday at Khao Yai National Park in Thailand, marking the third fatal attack by the same animal. The victim, identified as 69-year-old Jirathachai Jiraphatboonyathorn from Lop Buri province, was exercising metres from his camp with his wife at around 5.30am when he encountered the elephant, named Phlai Oiwan, feeding outside the forest boundary.
The elephant charged at the man, grabbing him with its trunk and slamming him to the ground as other campers watched in horror. Jirathachai's wife managed to escape, but he died at the scene. The attack occurred at the Kho Yor 4 (Khlong Pla Kang) campground in Wang Nam Khieo district.
According to park rangers, the same elephant has previously killed two local residents, though the timeline of those incidents is unclear. Officials suspect the elephant may be involved in other attacks. Wanchai Kaenchantuek, head of the park protection unit, said he heard the elephant and cries for help and rushed to find the victim.
The body was sent to a local hospital for a post-mortem examination. Park officials are coordinating with relevant agencies to provide assistance to the family and consider compensation under government rules. Chaiya Huayhongthong, chief of the national park, said officials will meet on Friday to decide the elephant's fate, with options including relocation or behaviour modification.
Forest officials have increased patrolling and monitoring and urged tourists to exercise caution. According to Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, more than 200 people have been killed by elephants since 2012. The country's elephant population has surged from 334 in 2015 to 800 last year, prompting officials to administer contraceptives to control numbers.
