Mahout Faces Charges After Elephant Kills Spanish Tourist in Thailand

Thai police have charged a mahout with negligence after a Spanish tourist was fatally gored by an elephant at a care centre in southern Thailand.

The 38-year-old Theerayut Inthaphudkij, faces charges of negligence causing death, authorities confirmed on Monday.

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The victim, 22-year-old Blanca Ojanguren García, was attacked while bathing the elephant at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Centre.

The elephant, a 45-year-old female named Phang Somboon, reportedly pushed García with its tusk, causing a fatal head injury. García later succumbed to her injuries in the hospital, with her boyfriend witnessing the tragic incident.

The incident has reignited debates over Thailand’s elephant tourism industry, which has faced long-standing criticism from animal rights groups for being unethical and hazardous.

Experts have suggested that the elephant may have been stressed due to its interaction with tourists.

Activists argue that activities like elephant bathing disrupt natural behaviours, risk injuries to the animals, and cause undue stress.

Jason Baker, senior vice president of PETA, stated that any sanctuary allowing close interaction with elephants poses risks to both animals and humans.

Similar incidents have occurred in Thailand’s booming elephant tourism sector. In 2017, a mahout and camp owner were charged after an elephant killed a Chinese tour guide, and in 2013, a woman was fatally attacked by an elephant whose tusks were later removed.

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García, a law and international relations student at Spain’s University of Navarra, was in Thailand on vacation with her boyfriend.

Spain’s foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albares, confirmed that the Spanish consulate in Bangkok is assisting García’s family during this time.

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