CHACHOENGSAO: An injured elephant - possibly the one hit by a van in a fatal accident in Lad Krathing forest on Saturday - was spotted by wildlife officials shortly before an SUV hit another elephant in the same area.
The accident occurred at about 5am on Saturday on a road through the Lad Krathing forest plantation in Sanam Chai Khet district. A van taking a group of residents from Tha Ta Kiap district for a "thod krathin" merit-making ceremony in Roi-et province crashed into a herd of five elephants. Two passengers were killed and nine others injured. One elephant also believed to be have been hurt in the crash, which badly damaged the van.
At about 3pm, 10 hours after the accident, officials from the Khao Ang Rue Nai wildlife sanctuary spotted a herd of five elephants walking across Road 4014 which runs through the Lad Krathing forest plantation, said Yu Senatham, director of the 2nd Forest Conservation Office of the Wildlife, National Parks and Plant Conservation Department.
One of the elephants, about five years old and weighing about five tonnes, was walking unsteadily on an injured leg. The injury was not believed serious.
About 40 minutes after the sighting, another accident occurred when an SUV struck a herd of five elephants crossing rural Road 3259, the Chachoengsao-Wang Nam Yen road. The SUV was badly damaged. The driver, who was not hurt, said his vehicle hit one elephant in the left leg.
Wildlife officials speculated the elephants in the two accidents were from the same herd.
Me Yu said officials and veterinarians will on Sunday scour the forest plantation to locate the injured elephants for medical treatment.