Park ranger shot dead in Lop Buri clash with poachers

A park ranger has been killed in a clash with poachers in the central Lop Buri province. 37 year old fish and wildlife ranger Karn Chaiprasert was found dead on Monday with a gunshot wound.

The head of the wildlife sanctuary, Wasant Klomchinda, said Karn led a 3 member team on patrol on Sunday in a forest on the Khao Ruak mountainside. As night fell, they set up a checkpoint in the area, 3 kilometres from the sanctuary’s borders.

At 10am Monday, the team spotted 3 men with hunting gear. They tried to stop them but the men fled deeper into the forest. A an exchange of gunfire followed during the pursuit. Karn was found dead on a sharp slope 300 metres from the checkpoint. Klomchinda and police were notified of his death.

Police checked the scene and found shell casings, knapsacks, supplies and paraphernalia for methamphetamine use. They followed the trail of evidence for 2 kilometres to the border of the sanctuary but found no one. Due to rough terrain, it was 5:30pm on Monday before Karn’s body was finally brought from the hills to the town for an autopsy.

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha offered condolences to Karn’s family and ordered related agencies to provide aid for his family.

Karn, a native of the north central Phetchabun province, joined the wildlife sanctuary a year ago. He’d also worked at Thap Lan National Park in Prachin Buri and Nakhon Ratchasima provinces for 10 years.

SOURCES: Chiang Rai Times | Bangkok Post