Elephant rampage at charity event in Bueng Kan kills woman

An elephant at a charity event in Bueng Kan went on a rampage, causing the tragic death of one woman and leaving a man severely injured. The incident, which took place yesterday, November 11, led to chaos as attendees fled in panic.

A social media post detailed the unfortunate sequence of events during the traditional Kathin festival procession. An elephant part of the parade became aggressive and attacked participants. Two women sitting on the elephant’s howdah fell, suffering injuries.

One of the women, later identified as 47 year old Priyawarn Karakulpoonperm, was rushed to Pak Khat Hospital but sadly succumbed to her injuries. Another individual, 61 year old Somporn Baumano, was also critically injured after being pushed by the elephant into a parked motorcycle.

This incident prompted an investigation led by Jirayu Duangkaew, deputy investigator at Pak Khat Police Station. Following a report from the police communication centre about the fatal attack, he informed Siwat Vorakuttanon, the station’s superintendent, and proceeded to the scene.

The tragic event unfolded at the rear of Suthiwanaram Temple in Huai Kan Lueng Noi village, Pak Khat district, Bueng Kan province. Emergency response teams, including rescue units from the local administration and Sawang Siwilai at the Pak Khat point, transported the injured to medical facilities.

Despite efforts, Priyawarn could not be saved. Her body presented multiple injuries, and the postmortem examination confirmed the severity of her wounds.

Elephant rampage

Eyewitnesses recounted the procession, which started from the temple’s main entrance, attracting approximately 8,000 participants, including several elephants. Festivities included music and dance, with people offering bananas and sugarcane to the elephants. However, one smaller elephant showed signs of irritation, possibly exacerbated by the heat and teasing from attendees who pulled back sugarcane after offering it.

The elephant’s erratic behaviour led it to shake its head violently, causing panic as it ran amok. The mahout’s inability to control the animal resulted in chaos, with people scrambling for safety. Some attempted to manage the situation by pulling the elephant’s tail or using cloths to cover its eyes.

Unfortunately, Priyawarn fell directly in front of the elephant and was further attacked. The animal kneeled and pushed her with its head, resembling a motion to stab with its tusk. Fortunately, two other elephants were guided by their mahouts to intervene, preventing further assault. Despite their efforts, Priyawarn’s injuries proved fatal, reported KhaoSod.

Police are now gathering evidence and testimonies to pursue legal action in response to the incident.