A wildlife ranger was killed and another injured during a horror elephant rampage in Thailand.

Nuchit Changsaengsee, 50, and his colleague Sathit Wongdee, 47, were trying to drive the hostile tusker out of a tamarind orchard in Phetchabun province on Sunday, March 3.

Their plan to make loud noises backfired when the sounds only made the beast angrier.

The jumbo crushed Nuchit to death while Sathit had an arm and his ribs broken.

Rescue teams arrived at the scene after receiving a report from the other forest rangers at 4:30 pm. Sathit was rushed to a hospital, but efforts to recover Nuchit's body were stalled as the elephant continued to prowl the area.

Phetchabun Governor Saranyu Meethongkham said: 'I have ordered the local district chief to coordinate with relevant agencies and the rescue unit to drive the elephant away from the area.

'They had to carry out the operation carefully because this particular elephant is known for its aggressive behaviour. It had attacked and killed other villagers before. The rangers were called to the orchard because the animal was eating all of the dragon fruit and tamarind.'

Volunteers later retrieved Nuchit's body after the pachyderm left the area.

Residents believe the blistering heat may have pushed the creature into aggression.

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.

Though the elephants are usually not aggressive, there have been several fatal elephant attacks in Thailand in recent weeks.

On January 3, Spanish tourist Blanca Ojanguren Garcia, 22, was struck by an elephant she was bathing at the Koh Yao Elephant Care centre in Phang Nga province. She reportedly slipped and accidentally grabbed its trunk, causing the animal to smash her against the rocky pool.

On January 17, farmer Anukoon Khampraphai, 42, was trampled to death by a wild elephant he crashed into, also in Trat province.

On January 19, Anan Chorawek, 53, was killed by an elephant bull named Seedor Sab at his orchard in Trat province. He reportedly set off fireworks trying to drive Seedor Sab away, but the loud noise only enraged the pachyderm. It charged at him and trampled him to death.

While on January 31, forager Aphisit Yakrasan, 47, was brutally attacked by a tusker in heat in Nakhon Ratchasima province. He had been collecting mushrooms when the animal emerged from the forest and stomped on him to death.