Mr. Nares Sueathurian, WWF Thailand Conservation Project Manager in Kui Buri National Park, on behalf of the WWF Foundation, presented compensation to Mrs. Prathum Totem, wife of Mr. Boonchu Totem, a forest ranger in the elephant monitoring unit of Kui Buri National Park, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, who was attacked and killed by a wild elephant while on duty, in the amount of 50,000 baht (fifty thousand baht).
On December 10, 2020, Mr. Boonchu Totem and his team of officers went to help an injured wild elephant and monitored its condition until December 11, 2020. The team of officers received a report that the injured wild elephant had attacked them. The officers had to flee and got lost in the forest because the area where they were working was dense and had tall weeds, making it difficult to see the landscape in the forest very clearly. After running together at the meeting point, it was found that one officer was missing, Mr. Boonchu Totem, aged 58. When searching for him, it was found that he had been attacked and killed by a wild elephant.
To encourage the family of Mr. Boonchu Totem and to honor his continuous service for conservation, the WWF Foundation deems it appropriate to provide financial assistance to the family for use in times of need.
