KANCHANABURI: A villager was stomped to death by a herd of wild elephants while collecting forest products at Salak Phra Wildlife Sanctuary in Sri Sawat district.
Kamolchai Chanthawong, 54, of tambon Nong Phed in Sri Sawat district, went out to collect wild plants in the wildlife sanctuary on Sunday morning.
When he did not return home that night, his family sought help from police to search for him in the forest, fearing he might be in trouble.
A team of police, soldiers, wildlife sanctuary officials and local residents began the search and found Mr Kamochai lying dead in the forest, about 1km away from Kanchanaburi-Sri Sawat Road, Pol Col Wanchai Onla-or, chief of Sri Sawat police station said on Monday.
Kamolchai's skull was fractured and his legs broken. Elephants’ footprints were found nearby, and many of the trees in the area were damaged.
Authorities believed the man was stomped to death by a herd of wild elephants. According to wildlife sanctuary officials, the area is the habitat of about 30 wild jumbos.
