Young elephant killed by drunk Bangkok truck driver
In the early hours of 16 October, 2008, a seven-year-old elephant was involved in a collision with a truck driven by a drunken driver on Srinakarin Road in Bangkok. Sadly, the elephant, Plai Boon Mee, and his sixteen year old mahout died soon afterwards from their injuries.
At 01.30 am the Bangkok Police was notified of an accident involving an elephant and a truck. The incident happened in front of the Denso Company on Sirnakarin road, opposite Samithivech Hospital. Police duly rushed to the scene with a hospital rescue team.
At the scene, police found Mr. Bunjan Yiewrum (36), from Satue, Burirum Province, standing shaken and in a frightened state near the dead body of Plai Boon Mee, his young elephant, which was lying on its side, bleeding through the mouth, in the middle of the road.
A bit futher away from the elephant’s body, the body of the young mahout, Mr. Chit (16), was also lying dead. In addition, a young boy, Sittichai Yiewrum (12) , the son of Mr. Bunjan Yiewrum, and also Mr. Kongsit (24), his neighbor, had both suffered minor injuries. Two metres away from the scene, a seriously damaged bronze Toyota Vigo, was parked in the middle of the road. Police found Mr. Surachai Suntornpadakul (40), from Patumwan, Bangkok, the driver, in a drunken state. He had a small wound under his eye, officials then took him to hospital.
Mr. Bunjan Yiewrum told the police that he, his son and his neighbor, a total of 4 people and the seven-year-old elephant, Plai Boon Mee, had left their village two days ago to go to Bangkok to earn money by selling bananas to people.
Mr. Bunjan explained that while they were trying to cross the street, he was walking on the left-hand-side of the elephant, pulling it by the ear, with the rest of his group walking behind him.
When they were in the middle of the road, a high speed truck suddenly approached them and collided with the poor elephant, causing it to fall down in the road and die instantly. The truck also hit Mr. Chit and dragged him along the road for 15 metres. Mr. Bunjan related how Plai Boon Mee had been given to him by his brother. However, life in the village is a struggle, not only for people but even elephants. Consequently, they decided to seek work in Bangkok to make ends meet.
Plai Boon Mee will be taken back to the village for a proper funeral ceremony. “I loved him so much,” Mr. Bunjan added. “I had taken care of him since the first day he was born.”Mr. Surachai, the truck driver, will be charged with careless driving, and endangering people’s lives.
from : Pattaya Daily news.
The number of street begging elephants in Bangkok increased a lot the last couple of weeks. Probably because the villagers have to wait to harvest the rice. But the main reason is that this abuse is tolerated by the authorities. At this moment so many elephants are roaming the city, and the poor creatures are getting younger and younger. Two days after the accident a one year and two months old baby has been spoted, with fresh wounds from the hook on the top of its head.
Our project in the elephant village in the Isaan tries to solve the problem by the roots. By creating natural elephant habitat, growing food for the elephants and generating income for elephant families in an elephant friendly way. In this way elephants like Plai Boon Mee could stay home and live a respectful life as an elephant.
