CHIANG MAI: A man was trampled to death by a domesticated elephant at his farm in San Sai district on Thursday.
Police said the body Sa-ard Khamsrijai, 68, was found in his cha-om garden at his vegetable farm in tambon Mae Fak. His body showed wounds consistent with trampling and a female elephant owned by a local elephant park was found nearby.
According to police, the park had taken the elephant out to forage as there have been no park visitors since the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus. The elephant was tied to a tree in the forest but broke loose and wandered towards the local village.
Sa-ard was watering his plants when he came across the elephant and tried to shoo it away. The animal panicked and trampled the man.
Local police are reportedly filing criminal charges against the elephant park owner.