The four vehicles pulled over to let the male elephant pass, easily recognisable because of its stubby tail and appearing to be in musth, as park officials tried to guide it back into the forest. Bull elephants in musth that are primed for sexual activity tend to be very aggressive.

The elephant walked by the cars while passengers recorded the encounter on smartphone cameras.

The incident, which reportedly occurred on Sunday morning, did not lead to any injuries although the elephant reportedly buffeted the rear of the last pickup truck, which carried two people in the truck’s bed, before it disappeared into the forest.

Narcotics Suppression Bureau deputy commissioner Pol Maj General Pornchai Charoenwong said that Lao police arrested Sisouk on Saturday in the neighbouring country’s Luang Prabang province after he resisted many police summonses for him to surrender.

“We have told Laos about the links between the two men. They have been in the same drugtrafficking network,” Pornchai said in a press conference.

“We have requested the Laotian side allow us to join the interrogation of Sisouk.”

He had heard that although Sisouk did not have any illicit drugs in his possession at the time of his arrest, his financial transactions were linked to the drug trade.

Thai and Lao authorities have been cracking down on an international drug network involving kingpin Xaysana, a Laotian, who was arrested in Thailand on drugs charges.

However Thai police believed that Sisouk’s alleged drug network is wider than that operated by Xaysana.

Just like Xaysana, Sisouk had been living a highprofile life, rubbing shoulders with celebrities, before his arrest.

Meanwhile Office of the Narcotics Control Board secretary general Sirinya Sitthichai confirmed his agency, as well as antinarcotics police, was in the process of requesting Laos’ permission to interrogate Sisouk. “We will try to determine who else is involved,” he said.

Available evidence suggested Sisouk had used Thailandbased drug deliverymen in sending illicit drugs to Thailand’s South and Malaysia, said Sirinya.

“Key members of this network have already been in detention, except for Usman Salamaeng,” he added.

In the wake of Xaysana’s arrest, famous bike racer Akarakit Worarojcharoendet – better known as Benz Racing – was charged with helping Xaysana launder illgotten gains.

Akarakit’s actress wife Napapa “Pat” Tantrakul is also under investigation.

The salon’s owner, Ruetaipatr Mapakdee, also suffered minor injuries in the blast, which occurred near the back of the shop.

The two mechanics were fixing the air conditioner when the blast took place. They were rushed to a nearby hospital.

The incident was shown on video footage posted online on Monday by a popular Thai-based page “Yak Dang Diew Jadhai V4” (https://www.facebook.com/togetherisone/).

The page criticised the couple’s behaviour as irresponsible, saying it put themselves and other motorists in danger, as well as the elephant.

“If you are stomped on by the elephant, don’t come crying,” the page commented.

The male driver is heard shouting to provoke the elephant and saying “how can it (the elephant) be faster than my Camry (Toyota car)”, while his female companion takes the video clips and tells him to drive on.

The footage was then posted on their Facebook page, which is now closed following criticism of their provocation of an animal.

Elephants and other wildlife in this vast national park, which spans four provinces being Nakhon Ratchasima, Sara Buri, Nakhon Nayok and Prachin Buri, have been disturbed by the increasing number of vehicles and tourists using the park’s roads over the past decade.

There have been many incidents of animals showing their alarm and justified anger at noisy motorists.

The Land Transport Department also suspended the taxi licence of Rungnakhon Dulkul for 30 day, deputy director-general Nanthapong Cherdchu said.

Nanthapong on Monday summoned Rungnakhon to report to the department over the incident, which was filmed by a smartphone. The clip has gone viral after being posted on Facebook.

Nanthapong said the taxi driver had been fined Bt1,000 for rejecting a passenger and Bt1,000 for being impolite. Rungnakhon was also required to undergo a three-hour training session regarding proper service.

Rungnakhon said he did not normally reject passengers, but Thakolkiart Verawan, an executive at GMM’s One Channel, had been hailing a taxi at the corner of Soi Sukhumvit 33 where the road was clearly painted red and white, meaning he could not park his taxi there.

The taxi driver said he had signaled that he could not park to Thakolkiart, whom he did not recognise as a TV executive, but as he was making a left turn out of the soi, Thakolkiart hit his car.

Rungnakhon said he was angry because his car had been slightly damaged but Thakolkiart offered to pay compensation, so he demanded Bt1,000. He added that he thought the issue was over after he received the money.

“I would like to tell the person who posted the video clip, if you don’t know the truth, you should not post [the video] to cause damage to others. Normally, I am polite, but I am a human so I become angry sometimes.”

Rungnakhon also gave a message to reporters to be conveyed to Thakolkiart: “No matter how rich your are, please know that I make my living day-by-day. I was a victim, but I had to defend myself. My wife and children need food and we need to rent our house. We need to buy our rice. We won’t have income for a month now.”

Suchat and Pol Lt-General Ronnasil Poosara, commander of the Southern Border Provinces Police Operation Centre, instructed police investigators to speedily investigate the incident and bring the culprits to justice.

Meanwhile, a source at an intelligence agency said the incident – which included the checkpoint attack as well as the use of road spikes and several pipe bombs, and the felling of trees and burning of tyres to obstruct officers’ pursuit – was probably carried out by a Runda Kumpulan Kecil (RKK) operations unit.

The attackers were probably led by insurgent suspects Abus Jeh-ali and Amad Leubaesa, who known to be active in Krong Pinang and Bannang Sata districts commanding at least 30 fighters, the source said.

The attack happened at 1.15am when the suspected insurgents opened fire at the checkpoint in front of the Krong Pinang Market in Tambon Krong Pinang, resulting in a 30-minute gunfight before the assailants retreated.

Pol Lance Corporal Thiraphat Sanitpoo, Pol Lance Corporal Ariaya Pimmatha, Pol Lance Corporal Jiranai Butda, Pol Lance Corporal Heramin Koseng, Pol Lance Corporal Prakit Chusup, Pol Lance Corporal Haimee Yakordung, Pol Lance Corporal Nikhom Thongkhao, Pol Corporal Prathom Thuaythong, Pol Lance Corporal Arthit Thanadnangseu, Pol Lance Corporal Worawuth Pongsri, Pol Lance Corporal Kanoksak Musikarak and Pol Lance Corporal Surasak Chaison were injured.

Yala police chief Pol Maj-General Krissada Kaewchandee led forensic officers and a bomb squad to inspect the scene afterwards. They collected five dud pipe bombs, fragments of three pipe bombs and 100 spent bullet casings from AK-47, M16 and HK assault rifles at the scene.

The bomb squad also removed another eight dud pipe bombs from a spot on Highway Number 41 (Yala-Krong Pinang).

An inspection of CCTV recordings showed that a team of as many as seven men opened fire at the checkpoint from the roofs of nearby houses while another armed group of eight men ran across the street to fire at the checkpoint. As more police officers came to reinforce the checkpoint, resulting in one attacker being injured, the assailants retreated into a nearby wooded area.

Two other teams of attackers reportedly placed the road spikes, felled trees and set tyres on fire on the highway.

General Chalermchai Sitthisa-ard also vowed to bring all those responsible to justice, saying the army is conducting an investigation into the death of Yuthinan Boonniam who died after he was put into military detention as a punishment.

He was sent from the detention centre to a hospital with a swollen face and bruises. The photos were widely shared on social media over the weekend.

“I wish to send condolences to the family of the conscript and am ready to take legal action against all concerned. The incident is already under investigation,” he said.

He said that he has emphasised in many meetings that there must not be assaults on the conscripts. “When this kind of incident happens, those responsible have to face prosecution according to the law. The superiors of those who are responsible for the incident will have to face disciplinary action for their lack of supervision that allowed this to happen,” he said.

There would be no interference in the investigation, he said, adding he has already assigned the Fourth Army Region commander to take care of the family of the dead conscript..

“I want to apologise to society again and will try to solve the problems so that this will never happen again,” he said.

He claimed tough discipline for conscripts has long been part of the army’s practice, noting that the soldiers have to be trained to work along the border.

“They have to adhere strictly to the rules and those who do not face severe punishment,” he said. However he insisted such activities have decreased.

The new Samrong station is one of nine stations under the BTS Green Line’s 13-kilometer-long Baring-Samut Prakan extension. The remaining eight stations are expected to be in operation next year.

The other stations include Phuchao Samingprai, Erawan Museum, Royal Thai Naval Academy, Samut Prakan, Sri Nakarin, Praeksa, Sai Luad and Samut Prakan Housing State.

The information obtained during the free trial will be used by the Bangkok Administrative Organization to determine the appropriate fares. About 40,000-50, 000 commuters are expected to pass through the new section per day. The number is expected to rise to 100,000 a day when all nine stations are open