Mahout being accused by police after tourist was killed by elephant

Local authorities announced that 38-year-old Theerayut Inthaphudkij was charged after death of tourist caused by elephant

When the tourist, Blanca Ojanguren García, 22, was bathing the elephant, the elephant shoved her, injuring her head. Later, she passed away in the hospital.

Her passing has rekindled worries about Thailand’s flourishing tourism sector

Elephant washing, according to activists, interferes with the animals’ normal grooming habits and puts them through needless stress.

Experts’ opinions following the attack suggested that the elephant may have been under stress due to the interaction with tourists.

A 45-year-old female elephant named Phang Somboon injured García at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Center in southern Thailand. During the incident, her boyfriend, who had been traveling with her, was also present in the center.

In a statement to the BBC, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) said that “such incidents highlight the dangers to both humans and animals alike.”

“Any ‘sanctuary’ that allows humans to touch, feed, bathe, or closely interact with elephants in any way is no place of refuge for elephants and puts the lives of tourists and animals in critical danger,” Jason Baker, senior vice president of Peta, stated.

Mahouts whose elephants murdered tourists have faced similar accusations of incompetence in the past.

After an elephant in the Thai beach town of Pattaya murdered a Chinese tour guide and injured two visitors in 2017.

As part of a student exchange program, García, a law and international relations student at the University of Navarra in Spain, was residing in Taiwan. On December 26, 2024, she and her lover landed in Thailand.

The Spanish consulate in Bangkok is helping García’s family, according to Jose Manuel Albares, Spain’s foreign minister.

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