Two Students Injured by Wild Elephant in Nakhon Si Thammarat

Two female university students were injured after being attacked by a wild elephant on the Krung Ching Falls nature trail in Krung Ching subdistrict, Nopphitam district, Nakhon Si Thammarat, on 31 May 2026. The attack prompted authorities to close the Krung Ching Falls nature study trail for 30 days as a safety precaution.

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According to Nopphitam district chief Apiwat Meethum, park officials patrolling the trail heard elephant noises and moved to investigate. They discovered four tourists encountering three wild elephants, including two adults and one calf, between the first and second rest shelters, approximately two kilometres from the trail entrance.

Officials found two tourists injured on the ground while two others were hiding behind trees. The injured visitors reported that they had been walking along the nature study trail when the elephants attacked. They said one of the elephants used its trunk to throw them to the ground before kicking and trampling them.

National park staff successfully distracted the elephants and moved them away from the area, allowing rescue personnel to reach the victims. Emergency responders from Krung Ching National Park, rescue teams from the Krung Ching Subdistrict Administrative Organisation and local residents worked together to evacuate the injured students from the trail.

Pictures courtesy of Amarin

The injured students were identified as 20-year-old Switta, who suffered a broken collarbone and was later released from hospital, to recover at home, and 21-year-old Phatcharaporn, who complained of abdominal pain and was transferred to Tha Sala Hospital for observation. Both students attend a university in Nakhon Si Thammarat province.

Amarin reported that the students had been visiting Krung Ching Falls with a larger group as part of a nature study trip when they unexpectedly came face to face with the elephants at close range. University representatives have since sent staff to monitor the welfare of the injured students and provide assistance.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Amarin 1 June 2026