A wild elephant with a sweet tooth recently made headlines in Thailand after it lumbered into a convenience store to the surprise of onlookers and the owner, to help itself to a selection of snacks.
The incident, captured on CCTV, unfolded on Monday in Nakhon Ratchasima province, near the Khao Yai National Park, an area known for its wild Asian elephant population, CNN reported.
The elephant, a 27-year-old male named Plai Biang Lek, is no stranger to the locals. Shop owner Khamploi Kakaew recounted her attempts to shoo the large mammal away, but was not successful.
“I told it, ‘Go away, go on,’ but it didn’t listen. It was like it came on purpose,” she told CNN.
Biang Lek, who showcased a surprising preference for human treats over its usual diet of bananas, bamboo, and grasses, spent approximately 10 minutes inside the store.
“It walked up to the counter – the candy counter near the freezer. It used its trunk to gently push the freezer out of the way so it could fit inside,” Kakaew explained. “It went straight to the snacks, picked through them with its trunk. It ate about 10 bags of sweets – they’re 35 baht ($1) each. It also ate dried bananas and peanut snacks.”
This incident comes amid a growing concern among residents and conservationists about changing elephant behaviour.
Thanongsak Changin, a 44-year-old resident and volunteer, noted that elephants are increasingly venturing from their natural habitats in search of food.
“The elephants’ behaviour has changed from looking for food at people’s orchards or farms, to frequently visiting humans’ houses,” he said. Biang Lek himself has a history of “raiding” other locations, even injuring its trunk during a previous encounter involving a glass cupboard.
The presence of wild elephants in residential areas in Thailand is becoming more common, according to Changin, who observed that some elephants, like Biang Lek, appear reluctant to return to the mountains, preferring the ease of finding sustenance among human settlements.
While human-elephant encounters are frequent, they can also escalate to violence, with instances of elephants damaging vehicles.
Khao Yai National Park, where the incident occurred, is home to an estimated 140-200 wild Asian elephants. Volunteer groups, including Changin’s, are actively working to ensure safety for both humans and the dwindling elephant population.
Following Biang Lek’s unexpected visit, another elephant reportedly waited outside the store. Park rangers were eventually called to the scene and, after considerable effort, managed to guide the elephant away.
Despite the disruption, Khamploi Kakaew seemed to take the incident in stride, remarking, “He’s around here often but never hurts anyone. I think he just wanted snacks.”
In a rather humorous turn, a wildlife protection group later visited the shop and offered Khamploi 800 baht to cover the cost of the “stolen” goods. “They said they were ‘sponsoring the elephant’s snack bill’ – it was kind of funny,” she shared.
Thailand’s national animal, the elephant, has faced a significant decline in its wild population over recent decades.
Threats such as tourism, logging, poaching, and human encroachment on their habitats have reduced their numbers from over 100,000 at the beginning of the 20th century to an estimated 3,000-4,000 today.
Local volunteers in Khao Yai continue their efforts to keep the park’s elephants away from residential areas, aiming to protect both the wildlife and the human communities.
