SURAT THANI: A phuyaiban, or village chief, died from his injuries after being attacked by a wild elephant in Tha Chana district on Sunday, police said.

The attack left Samnao Kraiket, chief of Moo 11 village in tambon Khlong Pha, with a crushed rib cage, broken hip and head injuries. He died on the way to hospital.

Police called to the village in this southern province said they were told a herd of about 10 wild elephants had entered an oil palm plantation at Thap Saming Khla, the Moo 11 village, and begun to feed on the trees, stripping them.

Samnao led a team from four villages, all volunteers, who attempted to push the elephants away from their crops and back into the forest. During the operation he was attacked by a cow elephant with a calf.

The volunteers were able to chase the elephants back into the forest, but the villagers became separated from their leader. Samnao suffered serious injuries in the elephant attack and died on the way to Tha Chana Hospital.

Villagers said wild elephants frequently raid crops in tambon Khlong Pha and tambon Prasong areas of Tha Chana district, with many people having been killed or injured by the animals over the years.