BANGKOK — On Monday, an unexpected visitor wandered into a grocery store in Thailand, causing quite a stir. A wild elephant, known by locals as Plai Biang Lek, sauntered in from a nearby national park and indulged in the store’s offerings.
Recorded footage captures the moment the sizable elephant stopped in front of the grocery shop, strategically located beside a major roadway near Khao Yai National Park in northeastern Thailand. He paused briefly before stepping completely inside.
The elephant, undisturbed by the presence of national park workers trying to send him away, stopped at the counter, effortlessly snagging snacks to munch on. With remarkable composure, Plai Biang Lek gathered a snack bag with his trunk and reversed out of the store, leaving only muddy footprints and a marked ceiling in his wake.
Kamploy Kakaew, the grocery store owner, shared her amusement in a social media video, recounting the unusual shop invasion. She described how the elephant consumed around nine bags of sweet rice crackers, a sandwich, and some dried bananas that she had that morning.
According to Kamploy, the elephant exited without causing any harm, despite his uninvited snack spree. Danai Sookkanthachat, a volunteer at the park and acquaintanced with the elephant, noted that Plai Biang Lek, approximately 30 years old, is a familiar figure in the area. It’s not unheard of for him to enter homes in search of food. However, Danai mentioned that it was his first time witnessing an elephant venturing into a grocery store.
“After visiting the shop, he proceeded to pry open a bedroom window of a neighboring house,” Danai recounted.
For years, wild elephants from Khao Yai National Park have been emerging from the forests to raid kitchens, but recent instances reveal them seeking food in more unexpected locations.
As of 2024, Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation estimated the wild elephant population at around 4,000. The ongoing encroachment of farmers into forestland for agricultural purposes has displaced elephants from their natural habitats, compelling them to venture further afield for sustenance. This displacement sometimes results in perilous encounters between humans and elephants.