When an Elephant Patrol Turns Fatal: The Tragic Tale of Masaree Samae
For the fourth time this month, Thailand’s majestic pachyderms have turned graveyard in a rural rubber plantation.
What Happened?
Early Friday morning, 40‑year‑old Masaree Samae was cruising his bike toward a rubber tapping site in Yala province—a region famed for its sprawling rubber plantations. Suddenly, the serene surroundings erupted into chaos.
- Five wild elephants roamed close to the habitations.
- They circled the road and, with the roar of the jungle, dove onto the unsuspecting rider.
- Policemen arrived only to find a stunned scene: a rider trampled, wounds on back and head.
Who’s at Play?
Thailand’s wild elephant population has shrunk from a staggering 100,000 back in 1850 to a mere 2,700 today, according to the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre.
Deforestation, loss of natural habitat, and expanding human settlements have forced these gentle giants closer to villages. Unfriendly encounters sometimes end in tragic fatalities.
The Elephant Conundrum
- While these animals are revered, they’re also feared for their sheer size.
- Villagers occasionally kill elephants—despite legal protection—owing to danger or economic reasons.
- Elephants also face the threat of poaching and are exploited in the booming elephant tourism industry.
From Circus to Cars
Last November, a 5‑tonne elephant that had appeared in Hollywood films unintentionally crushed its owner (“Elephant in Musth”—a period of heightened aggression) right in Chiang Mai. The same elephant, a star of commercials and movies, left the owner dead after a sudden, violent outburst.
Legal & Moral Quakes
Earlier this year, a self‑made electric fence on a pineapple farm killed two wild elephants. The farmer was charged with poaching but was quickly released on bail.
All of this underscores a conflict hitherto unresolved: protecting naturals law and ensuring human safety. The jungle’s own rhythms clash with the world’s engineered boundaries. Our elephants stand at the intersection of nature’s respect and humanity’s misstep.
