An Elephant Caused a Panic at a Festival in Thailand (3 photos + 1 video)
Category: Terrible (all news), Animals
30 March 2025
A dramatic incident occurred at a festival in Thailand. An elephant got scared by loud fireworks and ran through the crowd. There were casualties. 
At a festival in Nong Bua Lamphu province, a 10-year-old elephant named "Plai Khun Tong" panicked and knocked down and injured five visitors. The elephant, accompanied by his keeper, 46-year-old Sanga, was brought to the fair to sell sugar cane. When the explosions began, the frightened animal broke through the crowd, overturning tents and stalls.
According to local authorities, all the victims were hospitalized with injuries that were not life-threatening. One of the victims, a 51-year-old villager, said she was walking with her grandson when she spotted the elephant running. She managed to escape serious injuries - she got away with a sprained ankle.
The provincial governor banned elephants from being brought to festivals and urged victims to file complaints against the animal's owner. The caretaker, Sangu, was detained for not having a permit to transport the elephant. He faces up to a year in prison and a fine.
