Boy killed by elephants in a fruit orchard in Narathiwat

An eight-year old boy was crushed to death by wild elephants apparently provoked by explosions of gunfires from villagers in their attempt to scare away the jumbos.

The incident took place in a fruit orchard close to a forest in Ban Aye Samor, Tambon Kok Sator, Rueso district of Narathiwat on Tuesday (July 18).

Local officials said that two adult elephants emerged from the jungle and broke into the fruit orchard in search of food. The two animals damaged several fruit trees, prompting villagers to rush to the scene with some of them firing their shot guns into the air, hoping to scare them away.

Instead of being scared away, the two elephants charged toward the villagers, forcing them to scatter in different directors.

Officials said that, accidentally at the time, a villager, Mr Masoreh Deemung was passing through the orchard, riding on a motorcycle with his wife and eight-year old son sitting on the pillion.

The elephants crashed into the motorbike and crushed the boy to death.

Policemen, troops and volunteers were later deployed to the village to monitor the two elephants to prevent them from hurting other villagers.

Please credit and share this article with others using this link:http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/boy-killed-elephants-fruit-orchard-narathiwat/