Elephant in a Grocery Store: More Intrusive Than a Bull in a China Shop

A wild elephant surprised shopkeepers at a grocery store in Thailand this week. The hungry, mud-covered creature, named Plai Biang Lek, had wandered from Khao Yai National Park into the nearby town of Pak Chong, located approximately 125 miles northeast of Bangkok. In an amusing encounter captured on video, shop owner Kamploy Kakaew can be heard chiding the elephant while national park workers attempt to guide it out.

Unfazed, Plai Biang Lek continued rummaging through the shelves, leaving a trail of crumbs and mud in his wake. Eventually, the elephant exited the store, still clutching a bag of snacks in its trunk. Kamploy reported that the elephant devoured items she had just purchased that morning, including nine bags of sweet rice crackers, a sandwich, and some dried bananas.

“This sandwich, the whole pack was gone,” she remarked. Fortunately, no one was harmed during the incident. In Thai culture, elephants are revered as symbols of royalty and strength.

Despite their significance, the population of wild elephants has drastically declined in the past century due to habitat loss from development and poaching, leaving only a few thousand in the wild. This decline has resulted in increased incidents of encounters between elephants and humans, which can sometimes escalate into violence. The country is currently trying to find a balance between protecting public safety and ensuring the welfare of these majestic animals.