Additional Coverage:
Tourist Fatally Trampled by Elephant in Thai National Park
Khao Yai National Park, Thailand – A 65-year-old tourist was tragically killed on Monday after being trampled by a wild bull elephant during a morning walk with his wife at Khao Yai National Park.
Park officials identified the victim as Jirathachai Jiraphatboonyathorn, from Lopburi province. According to Chaiya Huayhongthong, the national park chief, the incident involved an elephant known as Oyewan. Park rangers quickly intervened, scaring the animal away and allowing Jirathachai’s wife to escape unharmed.
This marks the third fatality attributed to Oyewan. Park authorities are scheduled to meet on Friday to determine the elephant’s future, with potential options including relocation or behavioral modification.
The incident highlights a growing concern in Thailand regarding human-elephant conflicts. Data from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation indicates that wild elephants have been responsible for approximately 227 human deaths between 2012 and 2024.
The wild elephant population in Thailand has seen a significant increase, nearly doubling from 334 in 2015 to almost 800 last year. Authorities have been implementing measures such as contraceptive vaccines for female elephants to manage the burgeoning population.