Elephant Stomps Thai Man To Death In The Presence Of Prime Minister Yingluck

[Buchholz]

Elephant stomps Thai man to death

Bangkok - An elephant stomped a man to death near a Buddhist ceremony venue in the presence of Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra Monday. The incident occurred in the morning, about 200 metres from where the prime minister was to offer alms to monks seated on the backs of elephants.

It happened after an unidentified man climbed onto a tree, located about 20 metres from where Yingluck would offer alms. When the police asked the man to climb down, he jumped onto the ground and began playing with one of the elephants.

The elephant grabbed the man with his trunk and hurled him on to the ground before stomping on his body. The man later died at the hospital.

Continues:

http://www.newkerala.com/news/newsplus/worldnews-58730.html#.UBaR2ZjAFvY

July 30 (IANS/RIA Novosti)

[NanLaew]

The justice of the Pachyderm is ruthless.

[bino]

The justice of the Pachyderm is ruthless.

Absolutely. There is a video here of an elephant going on a rampage in India. It isn't the clearest video, which is probably a good thing because it is quite gruesome to watch the elephant stomp on the guy and toss him around like a rag doll.

[rubl]

R.I.P. for the man and condolences to his family.

As some here mentioned, elephants can get terribly annoyed in certain situations. Just like people in that sense, really.

[ddpffft]

elephants indeed have an elephant brain... they remember everything and everyone - for all times...

im not sure, if an elephant gets quickly that aggressive...

imo, a lot of abuse has to have happened (before)...

[webfact]

Jumbo kills man near alms offering

The Nation

SURIN: -- An elephant stomped a 50yearold man to death before the alms offering ceremony on elephants' backs began yesterday at Surin. The event was being held to welcome PM Yingluck Shinawatra's mobile cabinet meeting.

The unnamed victim, who appeared drunk, reportedly sneaked into the area where the elephants were kept at Wat Jumpol Sutthawat, and played with an elephant there. It got upset, grabbed him by its trunk, threw him onto a tree, and stomped on him after he landed. The man succumbed to his injuries at Surin Hospital.

Surin deputy chief Yutthana Wiriyakitti later said no elephants at the event were in heat, and this incident was a force majeure [a result of nature]; an elephant reaction to being bullied. The elephant was not part of the alms ceremony.

-- The Nation 2012-07-31

[FOODLOVER]

Note to self, drunken "Elephant tipping" bad.

[Jalapenos]

Poetic justice, considering how elephants are treated around here.

howibecameanelephant dot com

[draftvader]

A Thai friend and I were recently talking about elephants. She said that it was "lovely to see them on parade". I mumbled something about preferring them in the wild. She replied that "you could go to Lampang to the Royal Elephant Conservation Project". Unfortunately I already had. I have seen the elephants rocking backwards and forwards whilst chained up in the pavilions where the tourists (that day, sadly, me included) come to point at them and, in some cases, ride them. These elephants look physically healthy, but their mental states are quite obviously disturbed.

These are intelligent beings that we mistreat for our gains. Every so often one of them bites back. You can see sure that once in a while slave traders met a mucky death at the hands of their charges. Sure, the retribution would have been swift and way over the balance, but the slave trader would still have been dead.

One up for the elephants then. Shame it was an "innocent" bystander though.

[geriatrickid]

Good timing.

Perhaps the twit from Surin responsible for this;

The province will also urge the government to support its project to bring back local elephants roaming for money with their mahouts in major cities

will be encouraged to cease and desist.

[RogueExpat]

Here's a clip showing the unpredicatability of an elephant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZKwkGqDIQY

[SuneeTH]

Bad Omen for Thaksin.

[nurofiend]

Poetic justice, considering how elephants are treated around here.

howibecameanelephant dot com

it would be poetic justice if he was involved in elephant cruelty, all we know so far is that he was a drunk guy up a tree.

[geriatrickid]

Bad Omen for Thaksin.

A fool doesn't follow instructions and then goes and annoys an elephant and it's a bad omen? What was described as playing was most likely seen as a threat or an annoyance by the elephant.

[maidu]

At an elephant park by the Mae Kok river, C.Rai - where they're chained, one leg each beast. I bought a bunch of bananas - was handing out a few to each of the half dozen elephants in the herd. The big female didn't like that she didn't get them all. She blindsided me with her trunk. Down I went in a second. Good for me she didn't follow up with a foot.

[asiawatcher]

Strike one for the elephant.

[JurgenG]

Bad Omen for Thaksin.

I would say more a bad omen / warning for those who plan to disturb government celebration.

[whybother]

Good timing.

Perhaps the twit from Surin responsible for this;

The province will also urge the government to support its project to bring back local elephants roaming for money with their mahouts in major cities

will be encouraged to cease and desist.

Would you prefer that the elephants were left roaming for money in major cities, or brought back into the "wild"?

[Morakot]

Bad Omen for Thaksin.

I would say more a bad omen / warning for those who plan to disturb government celebration.

Yes, we predict rain drops will fall onto the ground when it rains.

[Nickymaster]

Jumbo kills man near alms offering

The Nation

SURIN: -- An elephant stomped a 50yearold man to death before the alms offering ceremony on elephants' backs began yesterday at Surin. The event was being held to welcome PM Yingluck Shinawatra's mobile cabinet meeting.

The unnamed victim, who appeared drunk, reportedly sneaked into the area where the elephants were kept at Wat Jumpol Sutthawat, and played with an elephant there. It got upset, grabbed him by its trunk, threw him onto a tree, and stomped on him after he landed. The man succumbed to his injuries at Surin Hospital.

Surin deputy chief Yutthana Wiriyakitti later said no elephants at the event were in heat, and this incident was a force majeure [a result of nature]; an elephant reaction to being bullied. The elephant was not part of the alms ceremony.

-- The Nation 2012-07-31

YS is thoughtful again. Didn't forget to wear some red. Luckily our PM doesn't support divisions trough color codes. A PM for all.

[jerrysteve]

Well maybe just maybe, the good Prime Minister will put an end to the torture and inhumane treatment of the Elephants...

Seeing is certainly believing.

Whats the old saying, "When Elephants Get Pissed Off, Ants Get Trampled."

[ratcatcher]

Good timing.

Perhaps the twit from Surin responsible for this;

The province will also urge the government to support its project to bring back local elephants roaming for money with their mahouts in major cities

will be encouraged to cease and desist.

Would you prefer that the elephants were left roaming for money in major cities, or brought back into the "wild"?

OR might it have actually meant:

"The province will also urge the government to support its project to bring back to Surin, local elephants roaming for money with their mahouts in major cities"

2 little words can make a lot of difference I believe.

[Moruya]

Jumbo kills man near alms offering

The Nation

SURIN: -- An elephant stomped a 50yearold man to death before the alms offering ceremony on elephants' backs began yesterday at Surin. The event was being held to welcome PM Yingluck Shinawatra's mobile cabinet meeting.

The unnamed victim, who appeared drunk, reportedly sneaked into the area where the elephants were kept at Wat Jumpol Sutthawat, and played with an elephant there. It got upset, grabbed him by its trunk, threw him onto a tree, and stomped on him after he landed. The man succumbed to his injuries at Surin Hospital.

Surin deputy chief Yutthana Wiriyakitti later said no elephants at the event were in heat, and this incident was a force majeure [a result of nature]; an elephant reaction to being bullied. The elephant was not part of the alms ceremony.

-- The Nation 2012-07-31

YS is thoughtful again. Didn't forget to wear some red. Luckily our PM doesn't support divisions trough color codes. A PM for all.

A PM for All Seasons.

[BirdsandBooze]

Basically, most animal species are happy without human interaction and just want to be left alone. That`s safer for us and it`s safer for them. They can still be enjoyed without interference.

[Rionoir]

"The alms-offering activity chaired by the prime minister later went on as scheduled"

Hmm... maybe would've been nice to have changed her PR opportunity of offering alms into a time to show sympathy for someone who lost their life in front of her instead of going on like nothing happened?

[Moruya]

Basically, most animal species are happy without human interaction and just want to be left alone. That`s safer for us and it`s safer for them. They can still be enjoyed without interference.

Does that include feasting on them?

[soundman]

Un-warranted, derogatory post concerning the PM removed from view. Not funny, and please refrain from making similar posts in the future.

[soundman]

No need for flaming other members. If you have a problem with content, report it and a board moderator will adjudicate.

[cowslip]

Firdtly I'm very sorry for the man - who appears to have been in a confused state.

But maybe some good will come out of this

Maybe as a result of this some Thai people may review their country's unsympathetic and exploitative attitude to elephants - why are there baby elephants i the photo? When Thailand has a SURPLUS of retired elephants and claims to be unable to care for them?

It is common to drug elephants when they are used in public - of course like all animals drugs have side-effects and comedowns

[NomadJoe]

Poetic justice, considering how elephants are treated around here.

howibecameanelephant dot com

Very few people are aware of the ritualistic torture a baby elephant must undergo to mate it with it's mahout before it can be turned out in the tourist or logging industry. In Thailand elephants are treated even worse than the Burmese. It's no wonder we continually hear of rampages. There have been several here in Phuket.

Edited July 31, 2012 by NomadJoe