Autopsy Results Released for "Mua" Wild Elephant in Chanthaburi: Electrocution Confirmed, Shotgun Pellets Also Found Embedded in Skin
A 30-year-old wild elephant found dead in Chanthaburi was electrocuted by high-voltage fencing, with autopsy results also revealing shotgun pellets embedded in its skin, prompting authorities to accelerate investigation into the human-wildl
Autopsy Results Released for "Mua" Wild Elephant in Chanthaburi: Electrocution Confirmed, Shotgun Pellets Also Found Embedded in Skin. Officials Accelerate Investigation.
May 26, 2026 — The latest development in the mysterious death case of "Phlai Kor Gaew" or "Mua," a 30-year-old male wild elephant found dead along a fruit plantation pond in Khlong Phlu subdistrict, Khao Khichakut district, Chanthaburi province. Recently, a team of veterinarians from the Sriracha Forensic Unit (Region 2) released forensic autopsy results following a thorough examination of the carcass.
Burn marks and tissue death were discovered on the forehead and trunk, caused by a high-voltage electrical short circuit that occurred approximately 3-4 days before discovery. It is believed the elephant may have accidentally made contact with electrical wires or fence lines that local residents had installed in the area.
Beyond the electrocution as the primary cause of death, the veterinary team also detected three shotgun pellets embedded in the elephant's skin across its body. Although these injuries were not the direct cause of death, they serve as critical evidence pointing to the escalating brutality of human-elephant conflict in the region's farming areas.
Chawinart Pinkaew, head of Khao Khichakut National Park, revealed that after recovering the elephant carcass and removing both tusks for preservation according to forestry department regulations, he ordered staff to bury the remains following scientific procedures to prevent disease spread. Authorities are coordinating with police and local administration to conduct another comprehensive investigation at the scene to locate evidence and prosecute those responsible for installing the electrical fence and shooting the elephant.
This incident highlights the escalating human-elephant conflict crisis in Chanthaburi, which has evolved beyond mere displacement into a battleground where weapons and electrified fences determine the fate of wildlife. As fruit farmers face devastating crop damage from wild elephants, if the government fails to implement sustainable structural solutions to this problem, more tragic deaths of wildlife at human hands may continue indefinitely.
