Boy, seven, is mauled to death by family's pet monkey

By TARYN KAUR PEDLER, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER Published: 10:45, 8 June 2026 | Updated: 10:46, 8 June 2026 A seven-year-old boy was mauled to death by his family's pet monkey in Thailand.   Ekkarat Srichan was playing outside his home on June 6 when the animal pounced on him and plunged its fangs into his torso. The terrified youngster screamed, but the primate continued the attack, wrestling him to the ground as the boy made desperate attempts to escape. Neighbours heard the screeches of the four-year-old monkey - named Choke - as it continued the savage mauling. Shocked relatives arrived to find the Ekkarat covered in wounds and the family's pet monkey with blood dripping from its teeth.  Choke was still tethered to the bamboo pole where the family kept him, but with a rope long enough to allow him to wander freely. Ekkarat was rushed to Sichon Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead in Nakhon Si Thammarat. The boy's grandfather released the killer monkey, which he had previously rescued from a roadside, but police and wildlife workers are now searching for the animal amid fears it could attack other residents. Ekkarat Srichan was playing outside his home on June 6 when the animal pounced on him and plunged its fangs into his torso Residents said the vicious male macaque was known to be aggressive, growling and baring its fangs whenever strangers came close  Ekkarat's grieving mother, Daranee Srichan, 27, said the male macaque's long fangs had pierced through the boy's lung. 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. '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.' Residents said the vicious male macaque was known to be aggressive, growling and baring its fangs whenever strangers came close. They claimed it had previously attacked a stray cat that wandered too close to the jackfruit tree where it was tethered. Police began hunting for the primate after the owner, Ekkarat's grandfather Jaroon Srichan, released it into the nearby mountains before it could be turned over to wildlife officials. Officers found the killer monkey in a nearby tree. However, it scowled aggressively when approached, so they avoided catching the animal. Wildlife experts with tranquiliser guns have now been called in to search for the monkey. Jaroon said he had rescued the monkey in 2022, when it was found abandoned on the roadside without its mother.  The terrified youngster screamed, but the ravenous primate continued the attack, wrestling him to the ground as the boy tried to escape Wildlife experts with tranquiliser guns have now been called in to search for the animal However, he is understood not to have had the necessary paperwork to keep it as a family pet. The grandfather said he now regrets his decision after it cost him his grandson's life. He 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 made the right decision 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. 'If I could go back in time, I wouldn't want to raise it anymore.' Owning macaques is legal but strictly regulated in Thailand. Keeping wild-caught or protected macaques without authorisation is illegal and can lead to fines, confiscation of the animal, or prosecution under Thai wildlife laws. The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.