A six year old boy died after being attacked by a pet monkey belonging to his grandfather in Sichon district, Nakhon Si Thammarat, on Saturday, June 6.
The incident occurred in Ban Khao Yuan Tao community, Thepparat subdistrict. The child had walked alone to a grocery shop owned by his grandfather, Jamroon, when the fatal monkey attack took place.
According to Amarin TV, the boy approached the area where the monkey was tied to a tree near the shop. The animal bit him on the chest and leg several times.
The child was taken to Sichon Hospital, where he later died from his injuries. Reports indicated that wounds to the chest affected his lungs.
Channel 7 reported that the grandfather had been keeping the male monkey since 2022 and had named him Choke, which means “luck” in Thai. The animal is now four years old. It was not used for work such as harvesting coconuts, but was tied up outside the shop with a long rope that allowed it to move between the trees.
The boy’s mother, Daranee, told Thai Rath that the monkey had previously attacked the boy’s father and a stray cat in the community.
The boy’s grandfather told ThaiRath that he had found the monkey in a forest on the side of the road while riding his motorcycle. He believed it had been separated from its mother, so he took it home with him and has been caring for it ever since.
Officers from Plien Police Station coordinated with national park officials to take custody of the animal. However, Channel 7 reported that Jamroo released the monkey into a forest near Khao Pong Mountain before authorities arrived.
Funeral rites for the child were held at a local temple, with cremation scheduled for today, June 8. Reports indicated that the family had not pursued legal action, as the animal belonged to a relative.
A separate monkey attack was reported in Krabi in February, involving a German tourist. The foreign woman said two monkeys were fighting nearby before one approached and bit her leg. She later received vaccinations and treatment, with no reported complications.
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