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Bangkok Post
Bangkok Post
National
PIYARACH CHONGCHAROEN

Man killed by elephants raiding village fields

Severely injured Thamsin Ratananupappot, 54, is placed on a pickup and rushed to hospital after being attacked by wild elephants raiding his village's fields in Thong Pha Phum district, Kanchanaburi, on Sunday evening. He died shortly after being admitted.(Photo by Piyarach Chongcharoen)

KANCHANABURI: A man was killed by wild elephants while he and other people from his village were trying to protect their crops in Thong Pha Phum district on Sunday night.

He was the second person from the village attacked and injured by elephants this month. 

Thamsin Ratananupappot, 54, was with other villagers and officials trying to keep a herd of about 30 elephants from entering their fields on the edge of Chong Yang Nong forest, close to Ban Pha On village in tambon Tha Khanoon, about 5pm on Sunday.

Witnesses said about 10 female elephants, which had calves with them, charged the group and Thamsin was unable to outrun them.

He was rushed to Thong Pha Phum Hospital, but succumbed to a severe chest injury about 7.15pm.

Thamsin's wife, Chayanant Ratananupappot, said he and the others had been using slingshots to keep the elephant herd out of the village almost every night for the last month. People were afraid to go out to their farms.

On May 16, Poo Sungsa-ngaphum, 73, was knocked down by a wild elephant, which hit him with its trunk and broke his ribs and back, while he was digging turmeric at the same village. He survived, but has severe injuries.

Rangers from Thong Pha Phum National Park have advised local people not to attack a wild elephant, warning them how dangerous it would be.

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