Overview
- A pet long-tailed macaque attacked seven-year-old Ekkarat Srichan on Saturday, June 6, biting his torso and puncturing a lung; he was taken to Sichon Hospital and later pronounced dead.
- The macaque, named Choke, was rescued by the boy’s grandfather in 2022 and kept tethered to a bamboo post with a long rope that allowed it to move around the family property.
- Neighbors reported the animal had shown prior aggression, including an alleged attack on a stray cat, and relatives found Ekkarat covered in wounds with blood on the monkey’s teeth after the attack.
- The boy’s grandfather released the macaque into nearby woods after the attack, prompting a police and wildlife search; officials say they located the aggressive animal and have called in teams equipped with tranquilliser guns, though reports differ on whether it was captured.
- Owning macaques in Thailand is legal but tightly regulated, and investigators say they will question the grandfather about permits and possible violations as the case and any legal action proceed.