Aussie man with no travel insurance trampled by elephant in Thailand
An Australian man who failed to get travel insurance is in intensive care after he was attacked by an agitated elephant in Thailand.
The four-year-old elephant attacked Chan Yun, 62, from the Sydney suburb of Newington, on the Thai resort island of Phuket on Monday, Fairfax Media reports.
Mr Chan's distressed family issued a statement warning Australians travelling overseas about the dangers of interacting with wild animals, including young elephants.
The "untrained" female elephant appeared calm as it roamed an area of Mai Khao beach on Phuket's north-west coast, a Chan family friend stated.
The friend claimed the elephant suddenly turned on Mr Chan, pushing him to the ground and attempting to step on him.
Mr Chan will require surgery after he suffered multiple rib fractures and injuries to his spine, ribs and kidney.
He will be transferred to Sydney by air ambulance after the advice of doctors at the intensive care unit of the Phuket hospital.
The Chan family were in Phuket for a family wedding and now face huge medical bills because Mr Chan’s travel insurance was rejected because of a pre-existing medical condition, the friend said.
Thai police are investigating the incident.
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