PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN: A Kui Buri National Park worker was killed by an injured wild elephant that charged a team sent to monitor its condition in a forest in Pran Buri district on Friday afternoon.

The park staff all ran for safety when the bull elephant ran towards them at around 3pm. They became separated but later contacted one another via two-way radios and agree to meet on a nearby road in tambon Khao Chao.

All except Boonchu Totem, 55, arrived at the agreed meeting place.

Suporn Pholphan, head of Kui Buri National Park, ordered a search for Boonchu, who was later found dead with multiple wounds to his body. Police and rescue workers arrived at the area after being alerted.

Pichai Watcharawongpaiboon, director of the Protected Areas Regional Office 3 in Phetchaburi, expressed his sorrow over the incident and asked the park chief to prepare documents to ensure financial assistance would be provided to his family.

Thai media reported that a local resident had spotted the injured bull elephant near a crop plantation at Thawang Hin village in tambon Khao Chao on Thursday. Noticing that the animal’s front right leg had become swollen, the resident alerted national park authorities.

Boonchu and other park staff were sent to help the injured animal. After stuffing antibiotics and pain killers into fruits for the elephant to eat, they were monitoring the animal’s condition. On Friday, they were preparing to bring it for treatment but the pachyderm attacked and killed Boonchu.