RAYONG — Two men were badly injured after an elephant reportedly panicked by loud music attacked them while they were having street food in Muang district early Tuesday.
Weeranat Yoodee, 28, and Thongpoon Raksatrakul, 31, were eating their meals on a mat at a street food shop on Saengchan Beach when they were attacked by a five-year-old male elephant, Plai Mongkol.
The elephant jabbed Mr Weeranat’s chest with its tusks and kicked Mr Thongpoon in the abdomen. Both men sustained severe injuries and were admitted to Bangkok Hospital Rayong.
The elephant’s mahout Wittawat Auandee, 32, was walking Plai Mongkol along the seaside street and asking people to buy food for it before the incident took place.
He told police he asked the men if they wanted to buy sugarcane to feed the elephant but they refused. He then ordered Plai Mongkol to go ahead but the pachyderm suddenly charged the pair.
The Buri Ram native insisted Plai Mongkol was not in musth and attributed the unexpected attack to the jumbo being panicked by loud music and disco lighting from a moving car.
Mr Wittawat said he brought Plai Mongkol and another four-year-old female pachyderm in a truck from Buriram to Rayong beach to sell fruit to tourists and passers-by four days ago.
Police charged him with animal abuse, negligence causing injuries and transporting elephants without permission. Police have recorded identities of Mr Wittawat’s elephants and keep them in a safe place.