A Thai man suffered serious injuries and required 40 stitches after a bear attack while searching for food in a forest near his home in Ratchaburi province on Sunday, May 10.
The victim, 48 year old Surachai, was admitted to Pong Namron Hospital following the incident, which took place at around 2pm. According to Surachai, he entered the forest to collect ingredients for dinner when he unexpectedly encountered the animal.
In an interview with Channel 7, Surachai said the bear was around the size of a 200-litre barrel and stood about five metres away from him when he first saw it.
He attempted to flee but said the bear quickly caught up with him in a single leap. The animal reportedly grabbed his upper arms with its claws before biting him near his left eye.
Surachai said he fell to the ground in pain as the bear prepared to continue the attack. He then screamed loudly, which appeared to frighten the animal and cause it to retreat into the forest.
While attempting to stand despite his injuries, Surachai noticed two more bears in a nearby tree. He believed they were cubs and said they displayed aggressive behaviour and appeared ready to approach him.
The man explained that he slowly reached for a firearm he had dropped during the attack. After retrieving the weapon, he fired two warning shots into the air, causing the bears to disappear deeper into the forest.
Surachai then slowly made his way out of the wooded area with injuries across his body. Residents who encountered him later transported him to hospital for treatment.
Doctors treated the victim with 40 stitches and kept him under close observation due to the risk of infection from the wounds.
Wild animal attacks are uncommon but occasionally reported in Thailand. In September last year, a zookeeper died after being attacked by lions at Safari World in Bangkok. CCTV footage showed the man exiting a vehicle before the attack. The reason he left the vehicle was not confirmed.
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