A farmer was arrested today after he confessed to erecting an electrified fence which killed three elephants close to a national park in Thailand.

The three pachyderms – one male and two females – were found dead yesterday near a village pond outside Kaeng Krachan national park in Prachuap Khiri Khan province.

Police initially thought they had been poisoned by eating pesticide-sprayed crops but they now believe the animals were electrocuted.

Sad sight: Thai police inspect three dead elephants after they were electrocuted by a fence erected by a farmer to stop them jumping into his pond near Kaeng Krachan national park in Prachuap Khiri Khan

Local farmer Sompong Yapakdi, 46, has confessed to putting electrified wire around the village pond to stop the elephants accessing the water.

Major Naruepanat Nujui, of Ban Nong Plub police, said: 'He said he used wire to circle the reservoir to prevent the elephants from jumping into the pond.

'He faces charges of killing an endangered or protected animal which carried up to four years jail terms or a 40,000 baht (£800) fine.

Police gave the elephant ages as 10, 5 and two.

Thailand has roughly 2,500 wild and 4,000 domesticated elephants.

Police initially thought they had been poisoned by eating pesticide-sprayed crops but they now believe the animals were electrocuted. The farmer has been arrested and faces charges of killing an endangered species

Those in the wild are usually found in national parks, but clashes outside those sanctuaries are not uncommon with impoverished farmers keen to protect their crops.

Much of the country is currently experiencing one of the worst droughts in living memory with water for agricultural use restricted.