Young elephant dies in fatal electrocution

The incident prompted provincial governor Monthien Thongnit to inspect the scene. He criticised the type of fencing used, saying that it was unnecessary. Petchaburi province has campaigned for elephant conservation and substantial funding has been channelled into taking care of the park's elephants and reducing conflicts between the pachyderms and farmers.

Following the 9 am report of the electrocution at Ban Pa Ka Yor in Tambon Pa Teng of Kaeng Krachan district, police rushed to the scene and found the carcass of a male elephant entangled in the fence. The electric fence – erected to prevent elephants to eating the palms in the 25-rai plantation – belonged to Nareunart Ketrat, 50, who admitted to setting up the fence. 

Previously, two cows belonging to a neighbour were also reportedly electrocuted near the same spot. 

The fence is within the Pa Yang Nam Klad Neu-Tai Forest Reserve, which farmers repeatedly encroached upon. However, legal action against encroachment in the area has not been pursued pending the “right-over-land” identification in accordance with a Cabinet resolution. 

Despite the resolution prohibiting encroachers from re-selling the land, Nareunart told police that he had recently bought the plot to grow oil palm – a story that was confirmed by a village headman, who acted as a witness to the Bt1.5 million land purchase. 

Nareunart was initially charged with violations of the Wildlife Protection Act 1992 as well as encroaching on the forest reserve.