A seven-year-old boy was tragically killed after his pet monkey inflicted fatal injuries on the child.
Ekkarat Srichan had been playing outside his home when his pet, named Choke, started to maul him by attacking and biting the tot. Locals heard the pet monkey screeching as it continued to attack the helpless seven-year-old boy. Ekkarat’s family rushed to the horror scene to find the little boy covered in wounds and also saw the monkey with blood dripping from its mouth. The seven-year-old was rushed to a hospital, in Sichon, Thailand, in the south of the country.
The little boy was sadly pronounced dead on June 6, in the Nakhon Si Thammarat province of southern Thailand.
View 2 ImagesA pet monkey, named Choke, fatally attacked the boy(Image: Viral Press)
When Ekkarat had been attacked, the money was tied to a bamboo pole, but the rope was long enough to let the pet walk freely. A massive search was then launched for the animal as the boy’s grandfather then released the killer monkey from its restraint.
Wildlife workers and local cops were searching for the pet, which had previously been rescued from a roadside, as they fear the creature could attack other people.
The little boy’s mother Daranee Srichan, 27, said the monkey’s long teeth had pierced through her son’s lungs and let to his death. She said: “The doctor told me my son couldn’t survive because the monkey’s bite punctured his lung and hit a vital area. If it hadn’t struck that spot, he would have been alright.”
She revealed how the family only realised how bad his injuries were when they reached the hospital, adding: “My husband initially said that Ekkarat had only been bitten on the leg, but when I saw him at the hospital, I discovered he had also suffered a bite to his right ribcage. I won’t keep any more monkeys. If I do, my other son might not survive.”
Locals said the male macaque was known to be aggressive, growling and baring its fangs whenever strangers came close to it. Some neighbours even claimed the monkey had attacked a stray cat in the past, after it came too close to the creature.
Police have since found the killer monkey but had to call wildlife experts with tranquiliser guns to help due to the creatures aggressive nature.
Ekkarat’s grandfather, Jaroon, had rescued the animal in 2022 but now said he regrets ever doing that. The grandfather said: “I don’t know if the monkey disliked my grandson or not, but they’ve known each other for a long time. It wasn’t their first time meeting. It must have been tired and irritated.
“At first, I thought I had made the right decision in saving the monkey. But now that this happened, I realise I made a mistake. I have to let it go. I’m not going to keep it anymore.”
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Police revealed the grandfather would be questioned as although owning macaques is legal in Thailand, it is strictly regulated by authorities. Therefore, keeping these monkeys as pets without the correct authorisation is illegal and could led to prosecution.