PHETCHABUN - Forestry officials have seized the Asian black bear that attacked a man who leaned into its enclosure and tried to pet it at a monastery in Muang district.
Veterinarians shot the bear with three tranquilising darts before it was taken away from Wat Suan Samoonphrai Luang Pu Lamai in tambon Ban Khok.
Officials said the female bear was moved for the safety of the public. It would be sent to the Khao Kho Wildlife Captive Breeding Centre in the province for habitat adjustment before eventually being released into the wild.
The bear had been kept at the monastery, where Wandee "Auntie Aew" Yukhansawat, 57, was legally registered with authorities as its keeper.
Ms Wandee said the bear had been donated to the monastery years ago and kept in an enclosure with many wild pigs.
She said the victim, Fon Promlatthi, was with a group of people who arrived at the monastery on Wednesday to ask for some wild pigs. Their visit followed reports there were about 600 wild pigs being kept in the monastery, which wanted to thin their numbers by giving them away.
Mr Fon stood close to the 1.5 metre high wall of the enclosure and reached out his hand towards the bear as if to pat it. The bear had clawed him down into the pit and then mauled and bitten him for several minutes, dragging him inside its den before he was rescued.
The black bear attacks the man at a monastery in Muang district, Phetchabun on Wednesday. (Photo by Sunthorn Kongwarakom
Reports from people at the scene said the man was drunk.
Mrs Wandee said the bear had never been savage or attacked anyone before. It had been fed fruit while living in harmony with the pigs.
Phra Thanet Tikhayano also said that the bear had never attacked anyone before. He said Mr Fon was drunk and the smell of alcohol had angered the bear, according to the Daily News
He said the bear had been given to Luang Pu Lamai, the respected monk the place is named for.
When the monk died he entrusted the care of his beloved bear to "Aunty Aew", who fed her and bathed her every day.
Aunty Aew and Phra Thanet initially used poles to try and prod the bear away from the victim. She eventually entered its den alone and beat it off Mr Fon with a piece of wood.
Media reported that Mr Fon, 38, was in an ICU at Phetchabun Hospital with deep wounds near his armpit and on his arms, body and neck. His wounds had required 1,000 stitches and he had lost much blood.
(Photo from Sunthorn Kongwarakom)
The black bear in its enclosure at the monastry. (Photo by Sunthorn Kongwarakom)
Mauled victim Fon Promlatthi is being treated at Phetchabun Hospital. (Photo by Sunthorn Kongwarakom)