Khwanchai and a few colleagues were patrolling the Huay Kha Khaeng forest in Huay Khot district when they encountered armed poacher Kampol Khampha carrying a bag of wildlife parts. The encounter resulted in a gunfight, during which Kampol sustained gunshot wounds in his leg and was arrested.
This is the third such clash this year in Thailand’s first natural World Heritage sanctuary, leading to concerns over rangers’ safety amid rising threats of poaching in the area.