What promised to be an idyllic day of tourism in Thailand turned into a nightmare this Friday. A young Spanish woman of 22 years old, Blanca Ojanguren, lost his life after an elephant stabbed him with a horn while he was bathing him in Koh Yao Elephant Carea specific center for activities with these animals located on the island of Yao Yai, as reported by sources from the country’s Police and the tourist center itself.
Incident or attack?
As reported by the Thai authorities and the Koh Yao Elephant Care, this Friday’s event occurred at the pachyderm center when Blanca and her boyfriend were carrying out the activity of bathing the elephants. According to the workers there, the Spanish woman passed in front of the animal when it stuck a fang into her. He later died as he was unable to recover from his injuries. According to experts consulted by 20Minutesthe animal could have attacked the young woman because of stress to which these animals are subjected.
Sources from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated shortly after that the Embassy in Bangkok had confirmed the death of the Spanish tourist. “The Consulate in Bangkok is in contact with family membersoffering all the necessary consular assistance” as is usual in this type of circumstances, stated sources from the portfolio directed by José Luis Albares.
Military family and an exchange in Taiwan
Blanca Ojanguren was exchange in Taiwan and had traveled to Thailand with her boyfriend, Francisco M., according to The Commercea Toledo Infantry cadet originally from Oviedo who coincided with Princess Leonor at the Zaragoza military academy. Although his romantic relationship was not the only one that connected him with the Armed Forces, since came from a military family.
The young woman, who completed her primary studies at the Valladolid school of Pinoalbar, had been studying Law and International Relations at the University of Navarra since 2020 and had interned at the Communication Office of the AJEMA (Admiral Chief of Staff of the Navy) this past summer, as his profile shows Linkedinspecifically at the Navy Headquarters in Madrid, in the protocol section.
The Valladolid woman too belonged to the Model United Nations (UNMUN) from the university, a simulation that seeks to imitate the procedures of the United Nations to find solutions to real problems and was a certified member of World Youth Alliance (WYA), a union of young people who give voice to human rights and that works with the United Nations, the European Union and the Organization of American States. Furthermore, in messages on social networks such as
The event has shocked the city of Valladolid, whose mayor, Jesús Julio Carnero, did not hesitate this Friday to send his deepest condolences to the family upon hearing the news.
A criticized and millionaire market
Washing elephants or bathing with them is something very popular among tourists in Asian countries such as Thailand, where pachyderms also walk with visitors or even participate in shows. Specifically, at Koh Yao Elephant Care they only have two elephants and bathing with elephants privately can be cost between 80 and 100 eurosas can be seen on its own website. It includes transfers and even a Thai lunch.
Although these activities have historically been highly criticized by animal rights organizations. According to data from the NGO World Animal Protectionwhich has operated worldwide since 1981, in Asia there are around 3,800 captive elephants that are exploited for entertainment and tourism spread across 357 locations and Thailand has increased the number of captive elephants by 70% in ten years. In the words of the organization, this country is home to three quarters of the captive elephants in Asia.
In addition, the organization, totally against the breeding of these animals in captivity, also points out that before the covid-19 pandemic, the captive elephant industry generated between 581 and 770 million dollars in sales each year.
39 fatalities in 2024
Regarding deaths from elephant attacks In Thailand, most incidents usually occur with wild specimens that sometimes cross into areas inhabited by people. In the last twelve years there have been 240 deaths due to attacks by wild elephants, including 39 fatalities in 2024according to data from the Department of National Parks cited.
This organization calculates that More than 4,000 wild elephants live in the sanctuariesnational parks and nature reserves in Thailand, a population that is increasing although still far below the 300,000 pachyderms that populated the country more than a century ago. It is also estimated that a similar population of domestic elephants in the countrymost of them used in shows intended for tourists.
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