Naiphum Promratee, 36, had the biggest scare of his life when he visited a remote temple in rural Thailand to see a ‘buffalo bear’ living in a small enclosure with a community of monks.
Naiphum saw the powerful animal, weighing 250kg, stuck in a small space for feeding – and decided to taunt it by dangling bowls of rice overhead.
But a morning out in the humid valleys of Phetchabun suddenly took a turn for the worse when the bear stood on its hind legs and dragged him down.
In an instant, Naiphum was pulled back into the enclosure, knocked unconscious and mauled, flesh torn from his chest with ease.
Naiphum and four or five friends had ventured out to the Wat Luang Phor Lamai temple in rural Phetchabun province on August 2, 2017 to see the small sanctuary on site.
The monks keep around two dozen wild boars in a small enclosure and an eight-year-old bear – called Bing – in a cage, which they allowed guests to feed.
Bpae Permpoonsap, of the Khon Khao Koo Pai rescue service, said the boars were outside in a nearby field while the bear roamed around its enclosure.
Just a day before their visit, the head abbot at the Wat Luang Phor Lamai temple said some of the creatures were ‘hungry’ because they were not being given enough food.
The temple had appealed for donations from members of the public to feed the animal.
