Chai

1: Somjai (fatal attack)

1. 2016-05: mahout Chai fatal attack by Somjai. An elephant in northern Thailand killed its handler before running off into the jungle with three terrified Chinese tourists still on its back, police said. A Chinese family of three – a father, mother and a young child – were taking a ride on the male elephant when it turned suddenly on its new keeper, goring him to death. Chai † Chai Died 2016-05

An elephant in northern Thailand killed its handler before running off into the jungle with three terrified Chinese tourists still on its back, police said.

“The Mahout who was killed was Karen and he was not familiar with the elephant. They [the tourists] are safe now,” said Colonel Thawatchai Thepboon, police commander of Mae Wang district in Chiang Mai province. The Karen are an ethnic minority people in northern Thailand.

Police said that on Wednesday morning a Chinese family of three – a father, mother and a young child – were taking a ride on the male elephant when it turned suddenly on its new keeper, goring him to death.

The elephant had not taken well to his new “mahout” – keeper – and turned on him suddenly, goring him to death, Channel 3 reported.