Wildlife Officer Killed by Tiger in Huai Kha Khaeng Reserve
A 20-year wildlife officer at Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary in Uthai Thani province was killed by a tiger while on duty, with claw marks and paw prints found at the scene near a stream.
A forestry official with the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary in Uthai Thani province died after being mauled by a tiger while on duty near Lam Huai Thap Salao. Evidence at the scene included claw and bite marks on the body, along with fresh tiger paw prints nearby. On the morning of August 5, the body of Sakarin Wichachai, a 20-year veteran of the reserve, was brought to Pong Sam Sip Temple in Lan Sak district for final rites. His wife, Dharadi Chamniwikakam, and their 11-year-old daughter wept throughout the ceremony as colleagues and neighbors gathered to pay respects.
Sukhon Muenchamnan, Sakarin's supervisor and the first to discover his body, recounted that he received a call that morning from a colleague saying Sakarin was not answering his phone. Upon investigating, Sukhon found Sakarin's phone on his bed but could not locate him. After searching extensively, he found Sakarin's body near a stream approximately 200 meters from the shelter, bearing tiger fur and paw prints. Sakarin's wife revealed that her husband had seemed in good health before departing for work and had planned to return Sunday evening to take their daughter to school on Monday. She expressed profound grief over losing her husband after 20 years of service in the sanctuary.
