Thai authorities have accused an elephant caretaker of negligence following the tragic death of a Spanish tourist at a sanctuary in southern Thailand last week, according to police reports.
The 23-year-old woman from Spain lost her life when a “panic-struck” elephant struck her with its trunk at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Centre located in Phang Nga province.
Authorities have charged the mahout, who is an employee of the sanctuary, with negligence and for failing to avert the deadly incident.
“We have charged him with negligence leading to death, and he will face court proceedings today,” stated local police chief Jaran Bangprasert.
Over the past 12 years, wild elephants have caused the deaths of 227 individuals, including tourists, as reported by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.
Just last month, an elephant fatally injured a 49-year-old woman at a national park in Loei province in northern Thailand.
While encounters between people and wild elephants are not uncommon, assaults at sanctuaries are quite rare.
Bathing elephants has become a favorite activity for tourists in Thailand, with around 2,800 elephants being held for tourism purposes throughout the country, according to World Animal Protection.
However, animal rights organizations contend that bathing elephants can induce stress, and some sanctuaries across the nation prohibit the practice.
