Elephant stomps wife to death, gores husband in leg

On family trip to Ayutthaya, at sunset couple wandered into restricted area & tried to feed the friendly elephant there.

A ritual is performed at Lae Paniad Elephant Kraal in Ayutthaya province on Monday to saw off the ends of Plai Big’s tusks and free him from the spirit of Orn-uma Leksathan, who was stomped to death on Saturday and her husband gored trying to save her. (Photo by Sunthon Pongpao)

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ANIMALS

Elephant kills wife, gores husband

27 May 2013
Online Reporters

A woman was stomped to death and her husband gored and seriously injured by a male elephant at a kraal in Muang district of Ayutthaya province on Saturday, reports said.

Orn-uma Leksathan, a nurse at Wang Muang Hospital in Saraburi province, and her husband Narongsak were visiting Ayutthaya province on a family trip when the tragedy occurred.

At Lae Paniad Elephant Kraal, Mrs Orn-uma reportedly offered some food to the elephant. The elephant grasped her hand with its trunk, pulled her toward the pole to which the elephant was chained, and then stomped on her with his foot.

When her husband Narongsak rushed to help her, the elephant gored him in the right thigh and then threw him away.

Other family members took Mrs Orn-uma and her husband to Ayutthaya Hospital, where the nurse was later pronounced dead from massive injuries to her internal organs.

Mr Narongsak was also seriously injured.

Thongrian Meephan, the owner of Lae Panid Elephant Kraal, said the elephant that attacked the couple is named Plai Big, a 27-year-old male weighing about 3 tonnes, with 1.5m long tusks.

The attack occurred in a restricted area behind the kraal where elephants were kept after work. It happened shortly before dusk when no handlers were with the animals, he said.

Mr Thongrian believed Plai Big, was frightened when approached and offered food and afraid of getting hurt. It was the animal's instinct to protect its tusks, tail and handler, he added.

He said Plai Big, following the tragic incident, would have its tusks sawn off by about 20 centimetres each, undergo a ritual to free him from the spirit of the person he killed, and would be confined to a place without being used for work again.

(Source: Bangkok Post, Breakingnews, Elephant kills wife, gores husband, 27 May 2013, Online Reporters, link) 


Elephant Accident Vocabulary

gore - stab with horn (when animal hurts someone by pushing or stabbing their horn into them) แทง
gored and seriously injured by an elephant
elephant kills wife, gores husband

thigh - the upper part of the leg ต้นขา
the elephant gored him in the right thigh

stomp - step heavily one something, with great force  กระทืบ, เหยียบ
stomp to death
the elephant stomped on her with his foot

kraal - enclosure, pen คอก
elephant kraal

A woman was stomped to death and her husband gored and seriously injured by a male elephant at a kraal in Muang district of Ayutthaya province on Saturday, reports said.

nurse - the trained person who looks after sick people and administers medical treatment that a doctor orders พยาบาล
a nurse at a hospital

tragedy - a very sad event that causes people to suffer or die โศกนาฏกรรม
on a trip when the tragedy occurred

Orn-uma Leksathan, a nurse at Wang Muang Hospital in Saraburi province, and her husband Narongsak were visiting Ayutthaya province on a family trip when the tragedy occurred.

trunk - the very long nose of an elephant that it uses to lift food and water to its mouth

grasp - to hold something จับ
the elephant grasped her hand with its trunk

pole - a long circular piece of metal or wood ไม้ยาว,ไม้เสา, ไม้ถ่อ,ไม้คาน, ค้ำถ่อ  
chain -  to put a chain on someone to keep them at a place and stop them from moving ผูกไว้กับ, ล่ามโซ่ไว้กับ, ล่ามไว้กับ, กักตัว,  กักขัง, คุมตัว
the pole to which the elephant was chained

At Lae Paniad Elephant Kraal, Mrs Orn-uma reportedly offered some food to the elephant. The elephant grasped her hand with its trunk, pulled her toward the pole to which it was chained, and then stomped on her with his foot.

rushed - taken somewhere very quickly ด้วยความเร่งรีบ
her husband rushed to help her
 
When her husband Narongsak rushed to help her, the elephant gored him in the right thigh and then threw him away.

internal - existing or happening inside a person, object, organisation, place or country ภายใน
internal organs - things inside the body such as heart, lungs, kidneys, etc that perform functions to keep a person or animal living

massive - very large in size, amount or number ใหญ่โต มหาศาล
massive injuries to internal organs

pronounced dead - make an official announcement that someone (or an animal here) is dead
pronounced dead from massive injuries to her internal organs

Other family members took Mrs Orn-uma and her husband to Ayutthaya Hospital, where the nurse was later pronounced dead from massive injuries to her internal organs.

couple - two people who are married or are involved in a romantic relationship คุ่รัก
the elephant that attacked the couple

tusks - the two very long white teeth of an elephant
tusker - an animal with tusks, especially an elephant

the elephant had 1.5m long tusks

Thongrian Meephan, the owner of Lae Panid Elephant Kraal, said the elephant that attacked the couple is named Plai Big, a 27-year-old male weighing about 3 tonnes, with 1.5m long tusks.

restricted - intended only for people who have been given special permission ที่จำกัด limited or controlled ซึ่งถูกยับยั้ง, ซึ่งถูกควบคุม
restricted area - an area where you need special permission to enter (not everyone can go there)
a restricted area where elephants were kept after work

dusk - the time before night when it is not yet dark เวลาเย็นก่อนค่ำ
shortly before dusk
the attack happened shortly before dusk

handler - a person who takes care of an animal (in a zoo, for example) ผู้ดูแล, ผู้จัดการ
no handlers were with the animals, he said

The attack occurred in a restricted area behind the kraal where elephants were kept after work. It happened shortly before dusk when no handlers were with the animals, he said.

frightened - be afraid, scared, to feel danger, that something bad might happen น่ากลัว
approach - go near to someone or something เข้าใกล้
Mr Thongrian believed Plai Big, was frightened when approached and offered food and afraid of getting hurt.

instinct - the way people or animals naturally react or behave สัญชาตญาณ

It was the animal's instinct to protect its tusks, tail and handler, he added.

tragic - causing or involving great sadness, because someone suffers or dies
incident - an unpleasant event
the tragic incident

saw - a tool used for cutting metal or wood (with a blade and handle) เลื่อย
saw off
tusks sawn off

undergo - to experience something which is unpleasant or which involves a change ประสบ (เหตุการณ์ในด้านลบ)
ritual - a formal ceremony พิธีการ พิธีกรรม

undergo a ritual
undergo a ritual to free him from the spirit of the person who was killed

confined - limited, not allowed to move or leave someplace จำกัดในวง ในกลุ่ม
confined to a place without being used for work again

He said Plai Big, following the tragic incident, would have its tusks sawn off by about 20 centimetres each, undergo a ritual to free him from the spirit of the killed, and would be confined to a place without being used for work again.