A one-tonne gaur was hurt after being hit by a lorry almost 40 kilometres from Khao Yai National Park in Nakhon Ratchasima yesterday.
Police were alerted to the incident on old Mittraphap Road in tambon Nong Sarai about 5km from Pak Chong district's city centre about 3.30am.
The gaur was found on the road bleeding heavily from its back.
Before the incident, a gaur was seen last week in the forest some distance from the spot, according to authorities. Speculation circulated as to how the gaur left the park, almost 40 kilometres away, and roamed past various villages.
About 9am, Supalak Prajan, a vet, Waranyu Pulalert, deputy chief of Pak Chong district, officers from the park and tambon Nong Sarai administrative organisation as well as rescue workers went to the scene to to tend to the injured animal, which later fled into a nearby forest.
Arthit Petnok, the 25-year-old driver of the 10-wheel lorry, which hit the gaur, told police he was taking pigs from Sakon Nakhon to Ratchaburi when the animal suddenly ran out into the road from the forest.
As the injured animal lay on the road, a motorcycle accidentally collided with it critically injuring the rider.
