Another version of this story & photos can be found at this link from the Bangkok Post
Boonmee Ounsamrong, 65, a villager from tambon Tha Kradan, was found dead by neighbors in front of a shelter at his rubber-cassava plantation behind Village Moo 16 in tambon Tha Kradan of Chachoengsao, near a buffer zone of the Khao Ang Ruenai Wildlife Sanctuary.
Boonmee sustained major chest and head injuries. His farm truck was also damaged and had two wheels broken off after the elephant mangled it.
His neighbors reported his death to police around 9 a.m. (2 a.m. GMT), said Pol Lt Col Banthueng Kaosaiyanant of Sanam Chai Khet police station.
Late on Thursday night, people in the area saw a wild elephant walking near the buffer zone, they told police.
Then several hours later, around 4 a.m. this morning they heard someone screaming for help and the calls of a angry elephant at Boonmee’s farm.
They were too afraid to help him and opted to investigate at dawn, which is when they found his body.
The elephant attacked Boonmee after drought-linked water and food shortages spurred it to leave the forest because of thirst and hunger, Sermphan Sareeman, chief of the Khao Ang Ruenai sanctuary told the Bangkok Post.
Today’s deadly incident was part of a recent series of elephant raids in Chachoengsao province, where wild elephants have moved out of their forests and ravaged farms and crops in search of food, affecting farmers’ productivity and frightening local people.