Thailand’s spotty record of animal welfare is back in the spotlight after a ‘celebrity’ elephant crushed its owner to death.
The elephant named Ekasit, which has appeared in many films and TV ads, attacked 54-year-old owner Somsak Riengngen shortly after being unchained at Chiang Mai zoo.
"The elephant suddenly turned back and used his trunk to grab the victim. Then the elephant used his trunk to crush him," said Wuthichai Muangman, acting director of Chiang Mai Zoo.
Somsak had been the elephant’s handler for more than a decade.
The elephant was being temporarily housed at the zoo until April next year.
Wuthichai said the Zoo does not have elephant shows but allows close interaction with tourists permitted to feed animals.
The zoo said the unprovoked attack was likely because the elephant was in heat, which can cause unpredictable, aggressive behaviour.
The zoo says elephant feeding shows have been postponed indefinitely.
Animal rights campaign group Peta highlighted the constant hazards of mistreatment and keeping elephants confined.
"Is it any wonder that some of these gentle animals eventually become fed up and fight back after being chained while confined to small enclosures that are a fraction of the size of their natural habitats?" it said in a statement.
Thailand had been criticised for keeping wildlife in ‘severely inadequate conditions’ in a World Animal Protection report released earlier this year.
