A sweltering elephant bull in heat trampled a fisherman to death in Thailand.

The male jumbo named Plai Boonyong, 21, was pulling logs when it escaped from its mahout Anuchart, 47, at a rubber plantation in Trang province on May 2.

While the elephant was searching for water amid the scorching heat, it came across angler Thoranin Ratchasaeng, 48, and attacked him.

The helpless fisherman suffered fatal wounds as Plai Boonyoung mercilessly stomped on him, breaking his bones and causing his intestines to spill out.

Thoranin's friend who was fishing with him called authorities for help. Police, along with the mahout, Anuchart, arrived at the scene and found Thoranin's mangled corpse crumpled on the ground.

Police Colonel Itsarapong Jina, superintendent of the Huai Yot Police Station, said: 'The elephant belonged to locals who had been hired to transport logs for several days at a rubber plantation owned by a certain Thap Nguanson. 

'However, it escaped from its mahout and roamed around in search of water. 

'The mahout said he immediately began searching for the elephant. He will be charged as he was responsible for preventing the elephant from causing harm to others.'

Thoranin's body was taken to the Huai Yot Hospital for a post-mortem examination, while Plai Boonyoung was ushered onto a truck and taken away.

The tusker was secreting fluids on its temples - a telltale sign that it was in musth or heat.

Anuchart said Plai Boonyoung fled from him while he was busy carrying wood. He said: 'Plai Boonyoung ran for the hills, likely in search of water. I tried searching, but it was too late when I found it. It had already killed the fisherman.'

Meanwhile, the elephant's owner, Somkid, expressed his condolences to Thoranin's family and promised to provide financial compensation.

Authorities said Somkid and Anuchart will be questioned before facing further legal action.

As of 2023, there are an estimated 3,084-3,500 wild elephants in Thailand. The population has been increasing in recent years, but it is still a fraction of the estimated 300,000 wild elephants that lived in Thailand at the beginning of the 20th century. The main threats to wild elephants in Thailand are habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and conflict with humans.