NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, Thailand — Authorities have ordered the temporary closure of the Krung Ching Waterfall and its surrounding trekking routes in Khao Luang National Park following a wild elephant attack on Sunday that left two female tourists injured, highlighting ongoing challenges in managing human-wildlife interactions in popular ecotourism destinations.

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The incident occurred at approximately 9:30 a.m. as a group of four tourists was navigating a jungle trail toward the Krung Ching Waterfall. According to official reports, the group heard the sounds of breaking tree branches and elephant trumpeting, prompting them to attempt a retreat. During their withdrawal, an elephant suddenly emerged from the dense vegetation, forcing the group to scatter. While two individuals successfully took cover behind a large tree, the remaining two were unable to escape and were subsequently targeted by a group of three elephants.

Park officials detailed that during the confrontation, one of the elephants used its trunk to lift and throw one of the tourists against a tree, resulting in significant physical trauma.

At approximately 10:20 a.m., a team of park rangers conducting routine wildlife patrols in the vicinity responded to the distress. The rangers successfully employed distraction techniques to drive the elephants away from the immediate area, allowing them to safely approach and extract the two injured tourists from the dense jungle terrain.

All four individuals were escorted out of the park by ranger personnel. The two injured women were immediately transported to Nop Pitao Hospital for urgent medical evaluation. One of the victims, identified only as Patcharaporn, sustained injuries to her back and legs and was subsequently transferred to Tha Sala District Hospital for further specialized treatment. The conditions of the injured parties have been described as stable following medical intervention.

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Atthaphon Charoenchansa, Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, confirmed receipt of the incident report from Surasak Anusorn, Director of Conservation Area Region 5. In response to the severity of the encounter, the department has mandated the immediate and temporary closure of the Krung Ching Waterfall trail to ensure public safety while a comprehensive risk assessment is conducted.

Haruchai Ritthichuai, the chief of Khao Luang National Park, announced that enhanced safety protocols will be implemented before the area is considered for reopening. These measures include the installation of additional, highly visible warning signs along all trekking routes, explicitly advising visitors to remain strictly on designated paths and providing clear instructions on how to protect themselves in the event of an unexpected wildlife encounter.

Furthermore, park management will deploy additional ranger patrol units to actively monitor elephant movements along the park’s periphery. These teams will be tasked with employing non-lethal deterrents to guide wild elephant herds deeper into the protected core of the jungle, away from areas frequented by hikers and tourists.

Khao Luang National Park, renowned for its rich biodiversity and the majestic Krung Ching Waterfall, is one of southern Thailand’s premier nature destinations. However, the region is also home to significant populations of wild Asian elephants. As human activity and ecotourism expand into natural habitats, encounters between wildlife and visitors have become a focal point for conservation and park management authorities nationwide.

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Wildlife experts emphasize that wild elephants are highly protective of their herds and can be unpredictable, particularly in dense terrain where visibility is limited. Visitors to national parks are consistently advised to maintain a safe distance from all wildlife, avoid making sudden movements or loud noises, and strictly adhere to marked trails and ranger instructions.

-Thailand News (TN)