Third Tourist Killed by the Same Elephant in Popular National Park
A tourist in Thailand has been killed by a wild bull elephant, which is suspected to be responsible for two other deaths in the region, per Agence France-Presse and the Bangkok Post.
Elephant Named Oweyan Claims Third Suspected Victim
Jirathachai Jiraphatboonyathorn, 65, was hiking near his camp in Khao Yai National Park on Monday, Feb. 2, when he was trampled to death by an elephant known to park workers as Oyewan. The elephant grabbed Jiraphatboonyathorn with his trunk, threw him to the ground, and proceeded to stomp on him. The victim’s wife was able to escape while rescue workers and doctors intervened and stopped the attack. Jiraphatboonyathorn suffered broken ribs and several other injuries. He was transported to a local hospital, where he later died. His precise cause of death is unclear at this time.
According to park rangers, Jiraphatboonyathorn was at least the third person killed by Oweyan. Some believe the elephant may be responsible for other, unsolved deaths that have occurred within Khao Yai National Park. “He was the third person killed by Oweyan,” said Chaiya Huayhongthong, Thailand’s national park chief. At this time, officials are still trying to decide how to handle Oweyan. "We will probably decide to relocate him or change his behavior," Huayhongthong said.
Wild Elephants Have Proliferated Across Thailand in Recent Years
Wild elephants more than doubled in population in Thailand between 2015 and 2025, jumping from 334 to nearly 800. Animal authorities are now administering birth control vaccinations to female elephants in an effort to quell the expanding number. However, fatalities caused by elephants are still relatively low. According to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, 220 people have been killed by elephants since 2012.
This most recent fatality follows two deadly incidents which occurred in late 2024 and early 2025. Another tourist was trampled by an elephant at a national park in Thailand’s Loei province in December 2024; and a Spanish tourist was killed by an elephant in southern Thailand while bathing the animal at a sanctuary in January 2025.