Chachoengsao—
At 6:50 PM, on October 31st, 2023, Capt. Sura Soraknit, the Commander of Thai Army Rangers 1306, received a report that a wild elephant assaulted a villager in Khlong Udom village, Sanam Chai Khet, Chachoengsao.
The wildlife monitoring and anti-poaching rangers and a rescue team were dispatched to the incident scene. However, they witnessed two wild male elephants fighting on the road on the way to Khlong Udom village and warned the locals to be careful.
At the incident scene on a cassava farm, Mr. Cheng Phaman, a 44-year-old volunteer in wildlife monitoring and anti-poaching, was found in critical condition with bone fractures and more than 10 wild elephants were lurking around the area.
The rescue team performed first aid before transferring Cheng to Sanam Chai Khet Hospital and to Phuttha Sothon Hospital later.
Cheng reportedly told the rescue team that he was on watch during his shift before witnessing 10 wild elephants in the area. Cheng and the team then attempted to shoo the wild elephants away. However, Cheng was fiercely attacked by one of the wild elephants on the cassava farm.
The wildlife monitoring and anti-poaching rangers and volunteers then further deployed a strategy to prevent wild elephants from invading the local agricultural areas.
