In an unexpected turn of events, a wild elephant from Khao Yai National Park created a scene at a local shop in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Chong district on June 2, 2025. The elephant, known as Plai Biang Lek, entered the shop around 3 PM, rummaging through shelves in search of food and causing significant damage.
The Incident
At the time of the incident, the shop owner was attending to a customer when the elephant made its entrance. Both the owner and the customer quickly vacated the premises and alerted park authorities about the situation. Park rangers, along with the shop owner, attempted to coax the elephant out of the shop. However, Plai Biang Lek remained unfazed, continuing to use its trunk to search for food among the shelves.
After approximately 10 minutes of encouragement, the elephant eventually left the shop and returned to the forest without causing any injuries. The shop owner estimated the damage to be over 1,000 baht, acknowledging that the situation could have been much worse.
Related Incidents
In a similar vein, a local fruit orchard in Chanthaburi province owned by two teachers suffered extensive damage from wild elephants. Nearly 30 durian trees, aged between 12 and 20 years, were toppled, resulting in a loss of almost four tonnes of durian and damages exceeding 400,000 baht. The orchard owners reported that they had never experienced such invasions before, but began noticing them in early May, with a particularly destructive incident occurring on May 24.
Conclusion
These incidents highlight the ongoing challenges faced by communities living near wildlife habitats, as wild animals like elephants venture into human settlements in search of food. While the shop owner in Nakhon Ratchasima managed to avoid serious injuries or significant losses, the situation serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between wildlife conservation and human habitation.