Italian tourist seriously injured in goring by bull elephant at private Phang-Nga park

By Anothai Ngandee 
The Nation

 

 

A 29-year-old Italian tourist was seriously injured on Tuesday when the 12-year-old male elephant he and a friend were riding as part of a tourist activity in Phang-Nga’s Mueang district suddenly shook them to the ground and gored him in the stomach.

 

 

The incident took place at 10.30am at an old oil-palm plantation in Tambon Song Praek that had been turned into a private park for elephant riding, said Song Praek kamnan Boonrong Jaroonsawatchai.

 

Trofa Manuel sustained a serious injury in the incident, while his compatriot Francesco Di Megli, 31, was slightly injured.

 

Both were rushed to Phang-Nga Hospital, where they were recovering from their injuries as of press time.

 

 

Mahout Kanchanapong Kanwichit, 26, who sustained some bruising after falling from the elephant but sought no treatment, told police that his bull elephant, named Plai Thanwa, had attacked the tourists towards the end of a 30-minute ride in an assault that that had been totally unprovoked. 

 

He said the elephant had suddenly and violently shaken off the riders, before stabbing a tusk into one of the tourists. 

 

 

It was unusual and out-of-character behaviour, as Plai Thanwa – now chained in a safe, secluded spot at the park – was normally good-natured and had never attack anyone before, and was not currently in rut, Kanchanapong added.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30364419

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-02-19

self inflicted

I musth say this is distressing news.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musth

 

Why are they aggressive to people, because they've been treated badly by people?

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Plai Thanwa, had attacked the tourists towards the end of a 30-minute ride in an assault that that had been totally unprovoked.

I'd bet 'unprovoked' doesn't mean the same thing to the elephant as to the driver. 

Elephants aren't made to be ridden PERIOD.

Dear tourists, if you feel the urge to ride something, try a bike

7 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

Dear tourists, if you feel the urge to ride something, try a bike

There is one bike I know but she is expensive and more dangerous than the elephant????

Mahout charged after Italian tourists injured from elephant attack

By Kritsada Mueanhawong

 

 

A mahout has been charged after an elephant attacked an Italian tourist in Phang Nga yesterday. Phang Nga livestock officials say the elephant was too young for elephant rides.

 

A 29 year old Italian tourist, and his 31 year old travel companion, remain in Phang Nga hospital this morning following the elephant attack yesterday.

 

Chief of Phang Nga Livestock Saroj Jittakarn says, “The elephant has not reached maturity where it fully capable of carrying passengers. The incident happened as the elephant is not familiar with elephant rides with tourists. This incident is an indication of the risks involved.”

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/phang-nga/mahout-charged-after-italian-tourists-injured-from-elephant-attack

 

 -- © Copyright The Thaiger 2019-02-20

Mahout charged after Italian tourists injured from elephant attack
By Kritsada Mueanhawong
 

 
A mahout has been charged after an elephant attacked an Italian tourist in Phang Nga yesterday. Phang Nga livestock officials say the elephant was too young for elephant rides.
 
A 29 year old Italian tourist, and his 31 year old travel companion, remain in Phang Nga hospital this morning following the elephant attack yesterday.
 
Chief of Phang Nga Livestock Saroj Jittakarn says, “The elephant has not reached maturity where it fully capable of carrying passengers. The incident happened as the elephant is not familiar with elephant rides with tourists. This incident is an indication of the risks involved.”
 
Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/phang-nga/mahout-charged-after-italian-tourists-injured-from-elephant-attack
 

 -- [emoji2398] Copyright The Thaiger 2019-02-20

'Capable of carrying passengers '.
Brilliant!

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

If the bull elephant was in a randy musk phase, the tourist was fortunate only to have been impaled on its tusk. . . 

The italian could have been talking to the elephant.   Elephants sometimes get enraged when being confronted by a person waving their hands wildly ????

 

why do people get so upset about humans riding 3ton+ elephants?

Should we not ride camels and horses as well... they are considerably smaller? ????

That must have been a very traumatic experience for the elephant. 

2 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

There is one bike I know but she is expensive and more dangerous than the elephant????

The "village bike" where I live is stating to show age & mileage, I'll take a daily stroll until a new racing model shows up.

Then get back in the saddle !

Zero sympathy for the tourists either. Shouldn't be riding elephants. It's a shame the elephant didn't sit on them and decide to try and ride them as well. 

15 minutes ago, foxboy said:

why do people get so upset about humans riding 3ton+ elephants?

Should we not ride camels and horses as well... they are considerably smaller? ????

Do some research before opening your mouth with stupid opinions. Despite being huge and heavy, elephants aren't structurally designed to carry large amounts of weight on their back. 

32 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

The italian could have been talking to the elephant.   Elephants sometimes get enraged when being confronted by a person waving their hands wildly ????

Perhaps he was a deaf mute using sign language?

Naughty inferences there boys.

I don't think riding elephants is covered by travel insurance.i hope the elephant had insurance else it looks like a big bill for the tourist.

Just now, happy chappie said:

I don't think riding elephants is covered by travel insurance.i hope the elephant had insurance else it looks like a big bill for the tourist.

The tourist is Italian, you must be thinking of a toucan.

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

The "village bike" where I live is stating to show age & mileage, I'll take a daily stroll until a new racing model shows up.

Then get back in the saddle !

Just take care there are no hidden extras on straddling the new racy model and suggest the old fashioned saddle sniff test first for ease of use???? 

1 hour ago, bluesofa said:

Perhaps he was a deaf mute using sign language?

And blind as he missed the elephant in the room????

2 hours ago, webfact said:

A mahout has been charged after an elephant attacked an Italian tourist in Phang Nga yesterday.

Typical Thai solution sidestepping the issue and throwing the book at the most powerless in society.

 

Reminds me of the criminal charges laid after the Kader toy factory fire.

 

http://www.iloencyclopaedia.org/component/k2/73-39-disasters-natural-and-technological/case-study-the-kader-toy-factory-fire

3 hours ago, SammyT said:

Do some research before opening your mouth with stupid opinions. Despite being huge and heavy, elephants aren't structurally designed to carry large amounts of weight on their back. 

Why not explain rather than hurling insults? I didn't offer an 'opinion' I asked questions.. hence the question marks. I assume you are familiar with them ???????

Elephants 1, Thoughtless Humans 0.

 

Go Elephants!

 

It's unfortunate the mahout (person who beats elephant until it performs unnatural acts) was not the victim.

 

Elephants are not to be ridden or to perform (that goes for all animals).

As usual the elephant gets off Scot free, not even a warning.

See the blood dripping from the elephant's forehead.  

This elephant must have gotten many beating before this incident.  

The issue here is not about riding Elephants. People have done this for 1000's of years and the Elephant has been used as a working animal just like Horses, Donkeys, Buffalo's, Etc. Elephants have even been used as Tanks to charge through enemy positions. It is actually about how they are treated and looked after that matters, how they are used to exact the maximum amount of profit possible in Thailand. That is the cruel part.

 

It surprises me that a Buddhist nation such has Thailand who protect their Soi dogs from extermination vehemently and this extermination is actually clearly needed can allow the inhumane and wholesale mistreatment of Elephants. Wake up. Treat all animals with respect no matter what they are. 

 

 

6 minutes ago, Snow Leopard said:

{snipped}

It surprises me that a Buddhist nation such has Thailand who protect their Soi dogs from extermination vehemently and this extermination is actually clearly needed can allow the inhumane and wholesale mistreatment of Elephants. Wake up. Treat all animals with respect no matter what they are.

When you compared elephants and soi dogs, my mind went off at a tangent. I was just imagining a herd of wild elephants rummaging through rubbish bins in a soi and chasing motorcyclists.

I'm sure if that ever happened a solution to the problem would be found PDQ.