CHANTHABURI — A woman was killed and her two-year-old son seriously injured by a wild bull elephant early on Monday morning near a rubber plantation in Makham district, Thairath Online reported.
The attack occurred on a dirt road beside a rubber plantation near Khao Kitchakut National Park.
Police and rescuers from a charity foundation were rushed to the scene after being informed of the incident by officials at Ban Thungphen forestry station.
They found the trampled woman lying dead on the dirt road, with a badly damaged motorcycle nearby.
She was a rubber tapper identified as Pornnipa Ngamprasert, 33, a native of Na Yai Am district of Chanthaburi. Her son Patipan, 2, was seriously injured by the elephant and had already been sent to Makham Hospital and subsequently referred to Phra Pokklao Hospital in Chanthaburi town.
The woman’s husband, Prasert Saraban, 42, said the attack occurred shortly after 4.30am. He and his wife were collecting latex when she felt an urgent need to go to the toilet. She left for home on a motorcycle, taking their young son with her.
Soon after she left, Mr Prasert said he heard loud trumpeting by an elephant in the direction his wife had taken. He rushed to the spot and found his wife had been killed and their son seriously injured.
He telephoned forestry officials at Ban Thungphen for help.
Forestry officials from Khao Soi Dao National Park in Chanthaburi said the woman and her son were believed to have been attacked by a 10-year-old male elephant which two years ago attacked and killed an orchard owner at Ban Bo Madua in tambon Chaman of Makham district.
After the attack, the elephant went up Banchop Mountain which adjoins Khao Soi Dao and Khao Khitchakut national parks.