Five injured as firework sounds scare elephant in Nong Bua Lamphu

An elephant, whose owner illegally brought the animal inside the Nong Bua Lamphu Red Cross fair to beg for money, was frightened by firework sounds and ran away, knocking down five people who suffered minor injuries.

Police and provincial officials said the incident happened on Saturday night when the organiser of the Red Cross fair lit fireworks as part of the opening ceremony.

The shocking incident was partially captured in a short video clip by a local resident, identified by her Facebook name, Picky Phurada. The Reels clip, which was posted at 9.40pm, was taken after the elephant had already knocked a mother and daughter to the ground.

The clip showed the elephant stepping over the two fallen females while a mahout was seen trying to stop it to no avail. Another mahout was seen rushing to help the mother and daughter to get up.

People were seen running to the left or right side of the road inside the fair compound to avoid the fleeing elephant.

By Sunday morning, the clip had got over 1,500 likes.

Witnesses told police that the elephant was herded inside the fair at the King Naresuan Stadium in front of Mueang district office in Nong Bua Lamphu provincial seat to beg for donations.

The five injured people were rushed to the provincial hospital where they were treated for bruises and discharged.

District officials and police followed the frightened elephant and found it in Ban Na Kae village in Tambon Lamphu about two kilometres from the fair.

The elephant was taken aboard a six-wheel truck to Mueang Police Station pending legal action against the owner.

Nong Bua Lamphu Governor Surasak Aksornkul said he was informed that the elephant had entered the fair compound in the morning so he had instructed officials to tell the owner to take it out as it could be dangerous to have the elephant inside.

However, Surasak said, the owner later took the elephant into the fair compound again in the evening.

The five injured people later filed complaints with police.

An official from the Nong Bua Lamphu Livestock Development Office, Dejsuwan Srihom, filed a complaint with police against the elephant owner, identified as Ratanchai (surname withheld), for allegedly moving the elephant without seeking permission from any livestock office.

Dejsuwan said the violation carries a maximum jail term of one year and/or a maximum fine of 20,000 baht.

Ratanachai said his elephant, whose name is “Plai Khun Thong”, was normally a tame elephant and did not get frightened easily, and that is why he had taken it to the fair.