Five people were slightly injured by a running elephant, which was frightened by the sound of fireworks at a local fair in the Muang district of Nong Bua Lamphu province last night.
Police said that the elephant was brought into the fairground, apparently without permission, by its owner and three mahouts to solicit donations from the public.
When fireworks were ignited to mark the beginning of a beauty contest, police say the explosions might have scared the elephant, which immediately ran away from its mahouts, hitting several people in the process.
The mahouts and the owner chased and managed to calm the elephant down, taking it to Ban Na Khae in Lamphu sub-district. The owner and the three mahouts were subsequently summoned to the district office for questioning.
The five people, who sustained minor injuries, were taken to the district hospital and, after treatment, were discharged.
A livestock development official said that the elephant owner will be charged with moving an elephant out of its shelter without permission, which carries a sentence of one year in prison and/or a fine of 20,000 baht if convicted.
Governor Surasak Aksornkul told the media that the event organiser had been instructed not to allow elephants into the fairground.
