A Thai man faces charges after a tragic incident where an elephant killed a Spanish tourist at a sanctuary in Thailand
Phang Nga: A Thai man is in hot water after an elephant tragically gored a Spanish tourist. The incident happened at an elephant sanctuary last week.
Theerayut Inthaphudkij, 38, is facing some serious charges. If found guilty of negligence causing death, he could end up with a hefty fine and even a decade behind bars.
The victim, 22-year-old Blanca Ojanguren García, was bathing the elephant when it suddenly attacked her. A staff member said she got too close, and the elephant reacted, leading to her injuries.
This sanctuary is known for letting tourists interact with elephants, which is a big draw in Thailand. But now, the police are holding the mahout responsible for not keeping things safe.
Local police confirmed they charged him with negligence, and he’s set to face court soon. It’s a sad reminder that while elephants are amazing, they can also be dangerous.
In the last 12 years, wild elephants have caused 227 fatalities, including tourists. Just last month, another elephant killed a woman in a national park.
While it’s common for villagers to encounter wild elephants, attacks at sanctuaries are pretty rare. Blanca was from Valladolid, Spain, and was studying law and international relations.
She was in Taiwan on an academic exchange and had come to Thailand with her boyfriend, who was there during the incident. Bathing elephants is popular among tourists, but animal rights groups warn it can stress the animals.
