Khao Yai National Park visitor honks at elephant, gets car thrashed

[Lite Beer]

Khao Yai National Park visitor honks at elephant, gets car thrashed

PRACHINBURI, 2 January 2015 (NNT) – A pickup truck driven by a a tourist on a visit to Khao Yai National Park in Prachinburi came under attack by a wild elephant on Thursday after the driver honked his horn at the jumbo.

The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon near the entrance of Heo Narok ( เหวนรก) Waterfall, at the 20th kilometer marker from the Noen Hom entrance of the national park. Eyewitnesses reported that a male elephant was crossing the road when it was honked at by the driver of a pickup truck. The honking frustrated the elephant, which then charged at the truck and tried to gore the vehicle with its tusks. The elephant also stomped on the hood of the truck and smashed the vehicle with its trunk.

Only one vehicle was targeted in the attack, which delayed the trips of several tourists who were sitting in the other cars that were trailing the pickup truck.

Khanrachit Sinopphawan, chief of Khao Yai National Park, said the elephant was still in the vicinity of the site of the attack. He added that visitors should pay attention to the guidelines of the park, which are found on signs erected along the park's roads. When dealing with wild elephants, drivers must not flash their high beams or honk their horns.

-- NNT 2015-01-02

[HeijoshinCool]

[NongKhaiKid]

So normal road ' manners ' have consequences in national parks ! Love it.

[Bluespunk]

Serves them right.

[NongKhaiKid]

Serves them right.

IF, big IF, the driver has insurance it will be interesting filling out the ' Details of Other Vehicle ' section.

[The stuttering parrot]

Cleaning the car seats is going to be a s#it job.

[catterwell]

So normal road ' manners ' have consequences in national parks ! Love it.

And that's even without a zebra crossing ...

[daveAustin]

Headline should read 'Thainess thrashed by elephant'.

[ezzra]

We should have that elephant and his friends roaming our roads here in Bkk, teaching

silly drivers some manners....

[impulse]

I just love it when they publish these feel good stories.

I hope they follow up with pictures.

[Fiddlesticks]

Well I vote that we replace the entire police force in Thailand with elephants. They seem to be smarter and better equipped to handle Thai driving issues.

[Kooweerup]

Headline should read 'Thainess thrashed by elephant'.

Face is a big thing for Thai elephants as well.

[draftvader]

"Pissed off pachyderm prangs pushy pickup"

Yes, I am proud of myself

[noitom]

Notice that the Thai newspaper pointed out that it was not just a park visitor or customer, but a "foreign tourist."

[chaiyapoon]

Go through Khao Yai all the time.Many Thai drivers don't take any care round the animals usual lack of patience issues.Don't really understand why they go in there in the first place except to take a few photos and tell everyone they have been there.Maybe it will slow a few down but I doubt it.Saw this coming.

[Loptr]

I love karma... Som nam na for the farang in the pickup...

[pacovl46]

There's a salt lick directly next to the road on the way to Heaw Narok waterfall. Almost every time I went there I saw elephants there. Once one bull was on the road blocking traffic while one adult and two youngsters were at the lick. He charged in both directions keeping cars at bay. If he had made a serious attempt several cars would've gotten damaged because there were so many cars that turning them around in time to get away would've been impossible. It was quite the spectacle.

[draftvader]

Notice that the Thai newspaper pointed out that it was not just a park visitor or customer, but a "foreign tourist."

Not that I can see. The only time foreign is mentioned on this page is your post and this reply.

Thailand has been seriously pushing domestic tourism this year and is now considering anybody more than 3m from their house as a tourist.

[ChrisY1]

Normal Thai driver mentality.....me first!!.....hope his trucks trashed!

[meatboy]

Notice that the Thai newspaper pointed out that it was not just a park visitor or customer, but a "foreign tourist."

Not that I can see. The only time foreign is mentioned on this page is your post and this reply.

Thailand has been seriously pushing domestic tourism this year and is now considering anybody more than 3m from their house as a tourist.

channel 3 news reported "foreign tourist" if he is wait till he takes the vehicle back.

[jaywalker]

Som nam naa at its best!

[draftvader]

Notice that the Thai newspaper pointed out that it was not just a park visitor or customer, but a "foreign tourist."

Not that I can see. The only time foreign is mentioned on this page is your post and this reply.

Thailand has been seriously pushing domestic tourism this year and is now considering anybody more than 3m from their house as a tourist.

channel 3 news reported "foreign tourist" if he is wait till he takes the vehicle back.

Oh dear! Might get lucky, might have purchased complete cover....

[darrendsd]

Notice that the Thai newspaper pointed out that it was not just a park visitor or customer, but a "foreign tourist."

So what if they did? If it's the truth why not report it or are you saying it is racist to do so?

Seems we have another farang with a chip on his shoulder

[akampa]

noitom, on 02 Jan 2015 - 07:47, said:noitom, on 02 Jan 2015 - 07:47, said:

Notice that the Thai newspaper pointed out that it was not just a park visitor or customer, but a "foreign tourist."

read the artical it said " A pickup truck driven by a a tourist"

[lil fluffy clouds]

More people die each year from elephant attack than any other species, approx 500 people world wide per year....

[Scott]

More people die each year from elephant attack than any other species, approx 500 people world wide per year....

I thought hippos were the big killers of people?

Not that I would like to be attacked by either.

[HeijoshinCool]

More people die each year from elephant attack than any other species, approx 500 people world wide per year....

.

Ruh?

[Fiddlesticks]

More people die each year from elephant attack than any other species, approx 500 people world wide per year....

Not sure where you got this information but all the lists I have seen indicate that mosquitos and snakes are usually the deadliest animals toward humans. Perhaps you are referring to wildlife parks!

Anyway, this elephant already has my vote for elephant of the year. Well done elephant!

[spidermike007]

Sweet. Wish we could see a video of this. Would love to see the look on the face of the driver, who absolutely had to make his presence known to the wild elephant. I was always told to behave in a very benign fashion when around wild and powerful beasts. Guess he never got that lesson? Well, he sure did now. Hope he is able to show more humility to the wild animal kingdom in the future. My guess is, that will not be an issue! His poor new truck. Hope the insurance company denies his claim. He forgot about the "don't harangue wild beasts" clause in his policy.

[klauskunkel]

Well I vote that we replace the entire police force in Thailand with elephants. They seem to be smarter and better equipped to handle Thai driving issues.

Officer, I didn't see the red light, I swear...want a banana?