SOURCE: Pattaya Daily News: May 25th 2007

RAMPAGING PREGNANT ELEPHANT ATTACKS TRUCK IN PATTAYA

On 24th May 2007, just after midnight, a truck driver had to run for his life after his pickup truck was viciously attacked by a rampaging pregnant elephant in a field in Huay Yai. His truck was stomped on and wrecked

Pattaya Pol.Lt.Col.Tadkham Saengsuksawang, investigating the incident, found a small crowd of onlookers who had apparently witnessed the elephant's rampage.

However, when the police inspector arrived, the elephant (30), called Phang Dao Rueng, was placidly eating grass in an open field in Hauy Yai, opposite Jomtien electrical plant.

The object of the elephant's rage was nearby, a green, Big M Nissan pickup truck, having sustained considerable damage to its rear window, cab and left-hand side.

Mr. Somjit Jangnarm, (43), the truck owner, told the police that he's been visiting his girlfriend who lives in the soi.

The moment that he was reversing his truck to get into a parking space, his truck was suddenly set upon by a pregnant elephant which appeared out of nowhere and started to whip his truck with her trunk.

Panicking, he leapt out of the truck and beat a hasty retreat. The elephant, by this time, was highly enraged, manhandling the truck and stomping on it. The mahout (elephant handler) had to calm her down quickly.

The mahout, Mr. Loon Jongjai-gnarm, (27) from Surin, told the police that he regularly brought the pregnant elephant from Nong Nooch village to eat the grass in the area, but she had never acted like this before. He assumed that hang Dao Rueng・was frightened and moody as she is now far gone in pregnancy - about one year and five months.

She was probably alarmed by the truck lights and launched into an attack. Officials are conducting further investigation to decide on suitable compensation.

Heck the pick up was GREEN.The confused elephant thought it was a ride on lawn mower about to destroy her grass!