Elephant master fights for compensation as his Elephant dies next to electric pylon

On Sunday Evening, Police were made aware of an incident involving a 50 year old elephant who had died after reportedly coming into contact with electricity close to a pylon located a small distance from an elephant park in the Na-Jomtien area. The Elephants master, Khun Ooay aged 61 had apparently felt the current as he rode the elephant and was thrown off the elephant who began to convulse and then fell to the ground. It was thought that a small cone-shaped object which is supposed to protect the pylon from a lightning strike was stepped-on by the elephant. At the time it was raining and a problem with the pylon is thought to have caused current to be passed through the object. On Monday Morning, the Elephant Master, who blamed the electric authority for the accident, made a Police report at Na-Jomtien Police Station, regarding the incident and would like the authority to compensate him for the loss of his elephant, in the amount of 700,000 Baht, which would cover the cost of a loan Khun Ooay took out to purchase the elephant. As yet, the authority has not issued a statement about the incident and if the two parties cannot agree on a settlement, the case will go to court.

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