A monk collecting alms died after being gored and trampled by a wild elephant in Chonburi.
The body of Suthem Runganan, 52, was found Oct. 23, about a kilometer from Boonyawad Temple in Bo Thong District. His body had been torn apart by at least one pachyderm.
Nearby residents Ploen Boondeekan, 49, said more than 30 wild elephants recently had come down from the hills to forage for food, causing plenty of problems.
A Cambodian laborer working nearby named Tua said she saw the elephants walking on the same route as the monk. She tried to shout a warning to him, but he didn’t hear her.
Bo Thong District Chief Kittipong Kitikun said Suthem was the second person in three days to die in elephant attacks. Local agencies have been meeting to prevent more accidents and control the animals. Wildlife officers now have driven the elephants out of village areas, he said.
Kittipong warned residents to be very wary of the jumbos and to keep their distance.
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