PRACHINBURI, 2 January 2015 — A pickup truck driven by a a tourist on a visit to Khao Yai National Park in Prachinburi came under attack by a wild elephant on Thursday after the driver honked his horn at the jumbo.
The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon near the entrance of Heo Narok ( เหวนรก) Waterfall, at the 20th kilometer marker from the Noen Hom entrance of the national park. Eyewitnesses reported that a male elephant was crossing the road when it was honked at by the driver of a pickup truck. The honking frustrated the elephant, which then charged at the truck and tried to gore the vehicle with its tusks. The elephant also stomped on the hood of the truck and smashed the vehicle with its trunk.
Only one vehicle was targeted in the attack, which delayed the trips of several tourists who were sitting in the other cars that were trailing the pickup truck.
Khanrachit Sinopphawan, chief of Khao Yai National Park, said the elephant was still in the vicinity of the site of the attack. He added that visitors should pay attention to the guidelines of the park, which are found on signs erected along the park’s roads. When dealing with wild elephants, drivers must not flash their high beams or honk their horns.
