Female tourist, 49, killed by elephant at popular Phu Kradueng National Park in Thailand as she walked along trail
A female tourist has been killed by a wild elephant at a National Park in Thailand causing some areas of the park to be closed to visitors.
The incident ocurred at Phu Kradueng National Park on Tuesday (10 December) at around 9:47am. According to Bangkok Post, Attapol Charoenchansa, director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, said the victim, identified only as Jeeranan, 49, from Chachoengsao province, was attacked by a wild elephant while walking along a trail from her camping site to Phen Phop Mai waterfall.
Other visitors alerted park rangers to the attack. Park officials who went to investigate found the woman's dead body when they reached the scene.
The area near the waterfall is famous for its red maple leaves - many tourists flock to take photos there. It is the first time anyone walking the trail has been attacked.
Mr Attapol said the park had now temporarily closed this track and some other trails regularly used by wild animals, to ensure the safety of visitors. Phu Kradueng police have launched an investigation into the tourist’s death.
The park in Phu Kradueng district of Loei province is one of the most popular national parks in Thailand by local tourists. It is especially popular during the cool season from late October to December.
A couple from Looe in the UK posted on TripAdvisor that they have waited “25 years to climb Phu Kradueng mountain”, showing its worldwide popularity. The couple wrote: “We walked all the trails and saw wild monkeys and deer and markings of wild pigs and elephant poo. We got up to watch the sun rise and saw the sun set from the famous projecting rock. Lots of places selling food on the trails and at the campsite. All in all a great experience”.