A surprising incident unfolded at a Thai convenience store on Monday when a large wild elephant wandered into the shop in search of snacks. The store, located in Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeast of the capital Bangkok, is situated near the Khao Yai National Park, an area known to be frequented by elephants. Shop owner Khamploi Kakaew recounted the unexpected visit, saying, “Business was a bit slow that day. Around 2 p.m., the elephant just walked right up. I came out and tried to shoo it away. I told it not to come closer.”
Despite Khamploi’s efforts to deter the elephant, it persisted in entering the store. “I told it, ‘Go away, go on,’ but it didn’t listen. It was like it came on purpose,” she observed. The elephant, identified as a 27-year-old male named Plai Biang Lek, made a beeline for the snack counter. According to Khamploi, Biang Lek “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.”
Biang Lek’s snacking habits deviated from the usual wild elephant diet of bananas, bamboo, and grasses, as it opted for sweets instead. “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,” Khamploi described. Another elephant remained outside the store, “probably waiting,” she added. Park rangers eventually arrived and coaxed Biang Lek away after some effort.
Khamploi reflected on the incident, saying, “He’s around here often but never hurts anyone. I think he just wanted snacks.” Following the unexpected visit, a wildlife protection group stopped by and offered Khamploi 800 baht for the stolen goods, jokingly “sponsoring the elephant’s snack bill.”
The incident highlights the complexities of human-wildlife encounters in the region. Thailand’s wild elephant population has dwindled to an estimated 3,000-4,000 due to threats from tourism, logging, poaching, and human encroachment on their habitats. Local volunteers in Khao Yai are working to keep the park’s elephants away from residential areas, as encounters can turn violent. Thanongsak Changin, a resident and volunteer, noted that the elephants’ behavior has changed, with Biang Lek having “raided” several other places before the convenience store incident.
Khao Yai National Park is home to an estimated 140-200 wild Asian elephants, and efforts are being made to ensure the area remains safe for both humans and elephants.