A wild elephant stomped a villager to death near Khao Ang Ruenai Wildlife Sanctuary in Chachoengsao province early Friday morning, and a herd of hungry, thirsty elephants left the jungle to raid crops in Chumphon, terrifying local residents.
Boonmee Ounsamrong, 65, of tambon Tha Kradan, was found dead by neighbours in front of a makeshift shelter at his mixed rubber-cassava plantation behind Village Moo 16 in tambon Tha Kradan of Chachoengsao's Sanam Chai Khet.
They reported his death to police about 9am, according to Pol Lt Col Banthueng Kaosaiyanant of Sanam Chai Khet police station.
Boonmee's farm is near a buffer zone on fringe of Khao Ang Ruenai Wildlife Sanctuary, which links five eastern provinces -- Chachoengsao, Sa Kaeo, Chon Buri, Rayong and Chanthaburi. (continues below)
A police officer photographs the body 65-year-old Boonmee Ounsamrong, who was found stomped to death by a wild elephant on Friday morning near Khao Anug Ruenai Wildlife Sanctuary in Chachoengsao. (Photo by Sonthanaporn Inchan)
The man suffered severe chest and head injuries. His farm truck was also damaged, with two wheels broken off after being battered by the elephant.
Local residents who guard their plantations nearby against elephants told police they heard someone screaming for help and the sounds of an enraged elephant at Boonmee’s plantation around 4am on Friday.
Boonmee's farm is about 2 km from the village and 500 metres from the buffer zone around the wildlife sanctuary. He stayed there every night in a crude shelter, guarding his crops.
The locals said they had seen a wild elephant walking near the buffer zone about 11.50pm on Thursday, and later heard the screams and trumpeting. They dared not go to his rescue, and waited until dawn to go and see what happened. They found Boonmee was dead.
Sermphan Sareeman, head of the Khao Ang Ruenai Wildlife Sanctuary, said the wild elephant had rampaged through the farmland and attacked the villager because his natural food and water was in short supply in the forest due to the severe drought.
A recent survey showed the number of wild elephants in the sanctuary had increased from about 200 six months ago to 364, he said.
The sanctuary staff had tried to stop the animals' raids on farms by digging a ditch about 100km long to serve as a forest buffer zone. But some elephants still managed to get to the farms and raid the crops, said Mr Sermphan.
Further south, in Chumphon province a herd of 12 wild elephants began raiding farms in tambon Wang Takor of Lang Suan district late on Thursday night, destroying crops and making local residents fearful.
Luang Suan district chief Kittipop Roddon on Friday led officials to inspect the damage at tambon Wang Takor.
Residents said the 12 elephants had come down from Huay Takhian mountain in search of food and water late on Thursday night.
A large number of households were affected. Not only were crops ravaged but people were too scared to go out early in the morning rubber tapping.
During the visit, the district chief and his delegation found the herd of the jumbos walking along a village road, only 1km away from Asia Highway 41. More than 100 oil palm trees were damaged, according to Daily News Online.
One villager said when the elephants arrived at the farms they fled, fearful of being attacked. He wanted authorities to address the problem.