The mayor of Klang Dong led officials to relocate a nest of "giant honeybees" a large one in front of the temple's ordination hall after the bees swarmed and stung people, injuring more than 10 individuals.
On 23 May 2026, Mr. Radent Pengnum, mayor of Klang Dong Subdistrict, Klang Dong, Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, along with the executive team, led officials from the disaster prevention and mitigation unit with two fire trucks and two fogging machines. This followed an urgent letter from Phra Kru Pariyat Methachan, deputy head monk of Pak Chong District and abbot of Klang Dong Temple, requesting the relocation of two large giant honeybee nests from the front of the temple's ordination hall back to nature.
This was because on 17 May 2026, the giant honeybees swarmed and stung villagers during a traditional parade celebrating a novice monk's procession. The participants were joyfully dancing with a small parade vehicle leading the procession into the ordination hall. After nearly two circuits, the loud music and speakers disturbed the bees, causing them to swarm and sting, forcing people to flee and stop the parade. They gathered at the school sports field about 100 meters from the ordination hall. Eleven people were injured, three seriously with breathing difficulties, and were sent to Muak Lek Hospital for 3-4 days of treatment. The other eight were taken to Pak Chong Nana Hospital.
Most recently, on the evening of 22 May 2026, the giant honeybees swarmed again and stung two parents waiting to pick up students from Klang Dong Temple School, causing injuries despite no noisy procession taking place.
Officials used mosquito fogging machines to produce smoke that drifted toward the two bee nests, along with lighting straw fires to direct smoke at the nests. This caused the bees to scatter and flee into the forest. Disaster prevention officers wearing helmets and full firefighting gear then used two fire trucks to spray water on the nests and protect themselves from bee attacks. The nests fell to the ground, and many bees died from the water spray.
Local residents watching commented, "The bees settled at the temple, a peaceful place, so they should have stayed calm. It's sad because they stung everyone around. We feel sympathy, but some who were stung had allergic reactions causing breathing difficulties, with multiple stings nearly causing death. We understand and feel sorry, but don't know what else can be done."