AN enraged elephant chased and stamped a Chinese guide to death after one of the tourists pulled its tail just as he was taking 2 others on a tour of an orchard in Chonburi, Thai News Agency reported today (Dec. 22).
Police at Huay Yai station and rescuers rushed to a camp within the Golden Triangle orchard in Chonburi where they found Mr He Yonujie, 34, a Chinese head guide, lying in a pool of blood on the ground. Around him were scattered some maps while the backpack he carried had some possessions and important documents, which the police kept as evidence.
Two other Chinese tourists who managed to escape with slight injuries were sent to a nearby hospital.
Mr Yu Yungram, 37, the mahout and owner of the 17-year-old elephant whose name is Phlai Uthane, said the jumbo ran amok after a tourist pulled its tail just as he was taking 2 other tourists on a tour of the orchard.
As the elephant started chasing the tourists, one of tourists he was carrying fell off but the other hung on tight.
After the elephant calmed down, he got the second tourist down and took the jumbo to its camp.
Police have not yet reached a conclusion on tourist’s death as they have to investigate in further detail.
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Top: The dead guide at the orchard where the elephant ran amok yesterday. Photo: Thai News Agency
First in-text: The elephant which got enraged when its tail was pulled. Photo: Thai News Agency