Pit bull attack claims life of elderly cyclist in Pathum Thani

A pit bull attack resulted in the tragic death of a 67 year old woman while she was cycling, leading the owner to declare an inability to care for the dog any longer.

At 4.30pm yesterday, September 24, Police Lieutenant Kritchatha Pathumkaew from Sam Khok Police Station in Pathum Thani received a report of a fatal pit bull attack in an unnamed alley, Village 1, Chiang Rak Noi Subdistrict, Sam Khok district, Pathum Thani. Police, including the police, forensic scientists from the Ministry of Justice, and rescue teams from the Po Tek Tung Foundation, promptly arrived at the scene.

Despite rescue efforts, the victim, identified as Daeng Thamthanta, succumbed to her injuries. The 67 year old resident of Sam Khok district had suffered severe wounds from the dog attack. Nearby, a blood-stained bicycle lay on the roadside, evidencing the brutal encounter.

Prathueng Nakpradit, a 76 year old witness, recounted hearing the sound of dogs fighting. Upon investigating, she discovered Daeng being mauled by the pit bull. Prathuang recognised the victim and called for help, shouting to Daeng’s son to assist. He quickly arrived and moved his injured mother to a safer location.

The news team later visited the home of Kiatkanok Tanlae, the 48 year old owner of the pit bull in Village 1, Chiang Rak Noi subdistrict. The dog, named Poykai, was found caged alongside several Thai-breed dogs.

Kiatkanok explained that her eldest daughter had brought Poykai into the family five years ago. The pit bull had generally been well-behaved but had recently attacked two relatives and her 17 year old daughter, who was still receiving daily treatment for her injuries.

Kiatkanok typically released Poykai at 2am to relieve itself before returning the dog to its cage. She expressed a desire for an animal welfare organisation to take over the care of Poykai, as she no longer felt capable of managing the dog.

A local shared that they had also been bitten by Poykai in the past, although it had been a while since the incident. Boontawee Makphong, the 41 year old son of the deceased, noted that their home was only 100 metres from Kiatkanok’s. He emphasised that the aggressive nature of the pit bull made it unsafe for the dog to roam freely, reported KhaoSod.

Pol. Lt. Kritchatha documented the scene and ordered the deceased’s body to be sent to the Forensic Science Institute, Ministry of Justice, for further examination.