Tragedy in Thailand: Elephant impales tourist (†22) with tusk

by Carola Frentzen

Bangkok (Thailand) - Bathing with elephants is considered a tourist attraction in Thailand. But what seems so idyllic is actually dangerous - and has now cost a student her life.

A Spanish tourist has been attacked and fatally injured by an elephant in Thailand.

The accident occurred at an elephant camp set up especially for tourists on the island of Koh Yao Yai in the south of the country, as reported by Thai and Spanish media citing the police.

For many Thailand fans, a close encounter with the pachyderms is a highlight of their trip.

The animal attacked the 22-year-old student in front of her partner on Friday when the couple was washing and scrubbing the elephants in a body of water together with other vacationers. According to the report, the pachyderm pierced Blanca O. with its tusk. The 22-year-old had no chance.

The newspaper "El Mundo" wrote, citing the owner, that the "Koh Yao Elephant Care Center" had been temporarily closed following the tragic incident. The website was also out of service.

The elephant was probably under great stress due to the constant interactions with tourists, the news site"The Thaiger" quoted animal rights activists as saying.

Many of the elephants live isolated and far from their natural habitat - and are also constantly forced to perform actions that are unnatural for them.

Thousands of domesticated elephants in Thailand live together with their mahouts (elephant handlers). In recent years, the much-criticized exploitation of the animals for tourist riding tours has greatly diminished.

Since then, numerous elephant camps, most of which are advertised as sanctuaries for rescued animals, offer up-close, supposedly animal-friendly encounters with Thailand's national animal.

In most of these centers, a joint bath with elephants is the highlight of the visit. Guests are allowed to scrub the elephants' skin with mud, among other things.