Thai national park closes indefinitely after woman, 49, dies from wild elephant attack

While hiking on a waterfall route in the Phu Kradueng National Park in Thailand, a 49-year-old Thai woman was attacked by a wild elephant on Dec. 11 and died.

Following the incident, the park in the province of Loei, Thailand has been closed indefinitely.

First elephant attack on the trail

Park officials said that the victim was walking with another woman along a trail from her camping site to Phen Phop Mai waterfall when the attack occurred at about 9:47am, Thai media reported.

The victim was identified as Jeeranan, 49, a tourist from Chachoengsao province in south Thailand.

The area near the waterfall is known to draw visitors looking to catch its famous red maple leaves.

It is reportedly the first time anyone in the park has been attacked.

National park chief Adisorn Hemthanon, told The Nation Thailand that a patrol team was dispatched to track the wild elephant.

They found its tracks heading toward a restricted forest area off-limits to tourists.

Park closed indefinitely from Dec. 13

In a Facebook post on Dec. 12, the park expressed its condolences to the family of the deceased.

It announced in a separate post that in light of the incident, Phu Kradueng National Park would be closed indefinitely with effect from Dec. 13.

The park will provide full refunds for tourists who had made accommodation bookings beforehand, and coordinate directly with affected visitors.

The park is set to reopen once the situation stabilises, the post indicated.

Elephant wandered into tourist zone: Thai wildlife dept

The closure had been ordered by Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation, according to the Bangkok Post.

The department's director-general, Atthaphon Charoenchansa, said that this is the first recorded incident of a wild elephant in Phu Kradueng displaying aggressive behaviour toward tourists, The Nation Thailand reported.

Investigations identified one elephant within a group of ten which entered the park's tourist zone.

Officials are monitoring the situation closely and preventing the elephant from going near populated areas, Atthaphon added.

Safety protocols implemented

Safety protocols have also been implemented in the park, such as the closure of waterfall routes and trails where wild elephants have been spotted, as well as the deployment of additional rangers for surveillance, Khaosod English reported.

Park rangers and other authorities are also moving wild elephants to controlled zones far from visitor campsites, Bangkok Post reported.

The Phu Kradueng National Park, located in the northeastern province of Loei, Thailand, is more popular among domestic tourists due to its remote location.

It is known for its highland landscape, cool climate and numerous waterfalls.

Top image from Loeitime online/Facebook