Peacock kills man in Thailand

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) _ A pet peacock mauled his master, killing him in a freak attack, hospital officials and relatives said Thursday.

Vichai Thongto, 30, was feeding his family’s four caged peacocks in the western province of Ratchaburi on Sunday when a male bird hurled itself at him, clawing his head.

Vichai soon began suffering headaches and fell into a coma by the time relatives got him to a hospital.

A nurse at Ratchaburi Hospital’s neurological department said doctors found a tiny puncture wound above Vichai’s left ear, and that a CAT scan revealed a blood clot in his brain.

Doctors operated Sunday night, but Vichai died Monday, she said.

Vichai’s father, Somchai, said the family would spare the killer bird’s life, donating all four peacocks to a local zoo.