A Scottish man was killed and a mahout seriously injured by an elephant gone berserk during a trekking tour on Koh Samui on Monday.
The 36-year-old tourist was riding the male elephant with his 16-year-old daughter in a forested area of tambon Bor Phut this afternoon when, witnesses told police, Pamang, a Myanmar mahout, climbed down from 13-year-old Golf to take photos with the victim and his daughter.
Golf struck Pamang with his trunk and stabbed him in the torso with a tusk.
The pachyderm then rampaged, throwing the tourists off his back. He stomped the Scottish man and stabbed him in the chest with a tusk, killing him instantly. The elephant then ran into the forest.
The man's daughter sustained minor injuries from the fall.
Witnesses said shortly before the attack Golf had appeared upset and would not follow Pamang's instructions. The handler hit him with a hook several times and the elephant then obeyed him.
Wongsiri Promchana, the Surat Thani governor, said a mahout at Island Safari Tour Co, which operated the trekking tour, said Golf had shown signs similar to being on musth two days ago and the hot weather during the ride today may have upset the jumbo.